Ask for a Raise
A step-by-step plan for asking your manager for a pay rise: gathering evidence of your work, researching fair pay, choosing the timing, running the conversation and following up, whatever the answer. Includes example wording you can adapt.
- Prepare before you ask
- Build your evidence
- Research a fair number
- Have the conversation
- Follow up, whatever the answer
This method was reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and clarity before publication. Our standards
Preview
- 01Prepare before you ask3
- 02Build your evidence4
- 03Research a fair number5
- 04Have the conversation6
- 05Follow up, whatever the answer7
Prepare before you ask
Asking for a raise feels uncomfortable for most people. Part of the discomfort comes from not knowing what to say or whether the request is reasonable. Preparation fixes most of that. When you have evidence, a researched figure and a plan for the conversation, it stops being a favour you are asking for and becomes a normal business discussion.
This guide covers the whole process: preparing your case, researching pay, choosing the timing, having the conversation and following up. It cannot guarantee a raise. Many factors are outside your control, such as company budgets and policies. What preparation does is give your request the best chance and make the conversation less stressful.
Before anything else, find out how pay decisions are made at your organisation:
Continue reading after purchase. 12 pages in total.