“My salary situation at ‘Morning Joe’ wasn’t right. I made five attempts to fix it, then realized I’d made the same mistake every time: I apologized for asking.”
We know the wage gap is real and it doesn’t look like the issue will resolve overnight. But learning to speak up and be assertive about what we deserve is the first step. In this day and age, women are successful, accomplished professionals who are intellectually smart and emotionally in tune, but more often than not, we self-sabotage our efforts because we lack confidence or just don’t know how to approach our boss to ask for a raise.
Here are 6 tips to help you build confidence and approach your manager in a professional manner:
1) Know your value.
Have you had a series of great performance reviews? Write a recap of your 6 month, annual or quarterly reviews.
Identify some of the highlights that were recognized by your boss. Gently weave those accolades into your discussion as helpful reminders of what you’ve accomplished and your potential long term value.
Focus on the numbers. For instance, you increased sales by x% in the past three months or you developed a program that tripled the audience reach or you helped x number of individuals into roles with larger scopes of responsibility. You get the idea.
Remember, getting an increase in salary is not only rewarding your past accomplishments but recognizing your capabilities that will contribute to your company’s future growth.
2) Know what your job is worth on the open market.
There are some great resources to find salary trends and what companies are paying for professions across all industries. Check out Salary.com. LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor and Comparably which is focused for tech jobs.
If you understand what other companies are paying for your exact position, you can figure out a baseline for how much you should be asking for.
Be balanced with your salary expectations. It should reflect market inflation rates, what your company can pay and appropriate experience.
3) Show long term commitment.
The reality is no one will want to give you a raise if they get an inkling that you have one foot out the door.
Identify a hot topic that your boss has been struggling to resolve. Suggest some new and creative solutions he/she should consider. Your discussion should identify not only the benefits but how it might be achieved and any potential risks. It will show your ability to problem solve with solutions and a desire to see the company succeed.
Display a can do attitude. Volunteer for challenging projects or take on more responsibilities to show your commitment to the company.
4) Timing - Timing - Timing.
Pick your time wisely. Assess the mood of your boss and what’s happening in the company. Were there recent changes made that could affect profits? Loss of a big client? Planned expansions? Is your boss recognizing people for their contributions with monetary and non-monetary rewards? Does your boss have mood swings?
Patience is important. If you have to wait a month or several months it will be worth the wait.
5) Mirror, Mirror On the Wall.
Write a script with an intro, the hard and soft facts and a closing summary statement. You must be very clear picture about how you present your case along with cogent arguments, or else you’ll end up talking off the top of your head and will inadvertently forget to mention something.
Once you have figured out the ‘what,’ focus on the ‘how.’ How well you articulate your case can turn out to be convincing or take a nosedive and fall flat. Listen carefully to how you sound. Is your tone hesitant, firm or balanced? Even with the perfect script, delivery is key.
Practice makes perfect. Practice in front of a mirror so you can see your facial expressions, e.g. looking up/down, left/right, frowning. This comes in handy when you get to portions that may be difficult to talk about.
Ask a trusted friend or colleague who will give you honest and objective feedback. Create a safe haven for their comments.
This might be obvious but you can’t sound needy. “I need a raise because I have to pay my student loan” or “I’m struggling paying bills.”
If you feel you have been working your buns off or doing more work than a colleague, coming across as feeling “owed” is never a smart strategy and won’t get you very far. Be factual with the information you have researched, the positive reviews you’ve received and keep emotions & comparisons out of it. If you believe in yourself, others will believe in you.
Avoid using words such as “I believe,” “I think,”, “I am sorry to raise this topic, but.” If you have done your homework, you will have the confidence to forge ahead.
6) If the answer is “no,” have a strategy in place.
You may not get the raise you want so you need to be prepared. First, make sure you get your emotional reaction under control. Your level of self awareness will be critical. It’s not “oh my god what I am going to do now!” Maintain a positive attitude despite the disappointment.
Seek to understand the reason for the decision. See if there are areas that you can start improving upon. Your willingness to do what it takes will be seen as a positive reaction.
Ask when you could revisit the topic. Give yourself enough time to work on any suggested actions. Typically this can be anywhere from 3-6 months.
Ask for any developmental opportunities which show your desire to professionally learn and grow.
Now go out there and do it! Let me know how things work out in the comments below!