Our first question as part of our latest ‘Ask the Expert’ blog series is, ‘How do I ask for a salary increase?’ As you can imagine, this is a very common question, and no matter how senior you are in your career, this question can feel like a difficult one to ask.
 
If you’re thinking of asking for a salary raise with your manager, you need to go into the meeting well prepared. Here are my top tips on how to ask for a raise clearly, without getting anxious.
 

Talk to your recruiter

If you were placed by a recruitment agency, talk to your consultant first. We recruiters can be very useful in this process, so speak to us to get an understanding of whether what you are asking for is reasonable and sits within the industry standard. We speak to candidates and hiring managers to negotiate a range of salaries and benefits on a daily basis, so we can advise you on what the industry average is.

Timing is everything

Avoid having the conversation around budget reviews, client reviews, presentations or even if there’s a board meeting. Their focus is going to be on their workload and this will be a stressful time for them.
 
A lot of people recommend holding the meeting after lunch when you and your manager are refreshed and have had time to relax. This opens people up to new ideas and can make conversations much easier. Most people are focused on their to-do list in the morning, so they can be distracted, however, it depends on how your manager likes to manage their workload and when they’re going to be busy. Pay attention to their work patterns to make sure you book in a meeting where they’re likely to be focused on you and not their inbox.

Approach the subject

It’s important to remember that your manager is used to being asked about salary reviews, asking to talk about this will not reflect badly on you. Don’t shy away from the subject and be honest, you know deep down whether or not you are making a reasonable request.

• Be clear about what the meeting is for and be yourself. You don’t need to be nervous.
• Demonstrate why you should get a pay rise with examples of your work, where you’ve gone above and beyond and what that has meant for the company and/or your team. Give as many facts and figures as possible. Has this attracted new clients, increased sales, solved ongoing problems that have prevented the company or team from being successful?
• Provide any industry related statistics that help support your request.
• Do you have any feedback from colleagues on your work?
• Use your last performance appraisal to show your successes.

Think about the figure you’re proposing. How much do you want your salary to be, and what would you accept? You may not get the increase you want, but you may still get something, so think about what you would accept if your requested increase isn’t met.

Negotiating your salary when interviewing for a new job

When interviewing, be aware of what the role has been advertised for and what you are looking to earn, this is where your salary research comes into play. You can ask about potential bonuses or pay increases at the interview and what the compensation would be if you meet or exceed your targets as a way of understanding their reward structure and your own earning potential. Asking this type of question at an interview shows you are willing to work hard and that you are ambitious.

Negotiating at offer stage

If you’re looking to accept an offer, think about your future earning potential, not just what your salary and package is right now. When you accept a new position, you have the chance at this stage to put your KPI’s (key performance indicators) in writing and confirm that any salary increase will be attached to your performance review. What increase or bonus would you expect if you hit all your targets or exceed them by 10/20/30 per cent? It’s so much easier to get a salary raise in the future if you and your manager know, and agree, on your targets in advance. 
 
Consider talking to your line manager about creating a plan of action for you to reach your intended target. You should understand the new KPI’s and know how to achieve them before leaving the meeting. If you are not sure, address this in the meeting. You may need a training plan, mentoring or some other help to get you where you need to be.
 
If you work in the public sector, asking for a pay raise can be harder. All public sector salaries are public knowledge and your manager should be able to provide you with the salary banding you currently sit within. You will not be able to ask for more than the top of that band unless you get a promotion which would push you into a new band and title.
 

Next steps

Whether you’ve been in your role for a long time or at the offer stage, close the meeting by thanking them for their time and confirming next steps and when you can expect a response. This helps you and your manager, ensure your request is looked into and that you get a response within a reasonable timeframe. For most companies, a pay rise needs to be signed off by multiple people, so it can take a few days or more to hear back. If you don’t hear within a week, send them a brief, polite email, to see if there has been any feedback or if there are any bottlenecks.

If you have a question that you would like to ask regarding recruitment, careers and the current marketplace, submit them to me via our form.