What You Can Do to Encourage That Raise

You like your job, you work hard, and you’ve been with the organization for a significant amount of time. It’s hard not to let your mind wander to that place in your head where you ask yourself, “When will I get a raise?” But then again, it could be the right time for you to start thinking this way. How do you know?

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you meander further down that path:

Do you regularly do more than is required of you? 

Do you volunteer for various tasks/jobs when people are needed?

Are you a respected leader in your work group?

Do you take the blame when you need to?

Do you mentor and support your team?

Do you regularly get asked to take on projects?

Do you give credit to your colleagues as it’s due?

Does your manager call on you when he/she is in a pinch at the office?

You don’t need to be able to answer ‘yes’ to all of these questions in order to move forward with a raise request. However, think about your worth and consider also making a list of positive attributes you contribute to your organization. Would you be easily replaced? Is what you do a specialized skill?

There’s also the consideration that you should be able to handle the answer when you do finally ask for the raise. Are you ready to hear that the company can’t dole out raises based on this year’s numbers? Or, it’s possible that they have policies on raises that you’re not aware of.

If you’re ready to respond to and handle the answers to those first two questions, also consider this one: the possibility that you are showing initiative and sharing your worth with your hiring manager when you sit down to this important conversation. The worst case scenario—and this is a good one—is that you are speaking up about your worth to this organization and your team. This could give your manager the “kick in the pants” he/she needs to remember what an asset you are to the group