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ATD Blog

How to Ask for Promotion

Monday, June 22, 2015
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Employers know the job market is strong and that key staff members might be thinking of making a move. To keep their best people happy and on the payroll, executives are ready to deploy a host of retention tactics. In a recent Accountemps survey of chief financial officers, 63 percent of respondents said they are now promoting top performers, and 52 percent are ready to raise salaries.

If you’re a learning and development (L&D) professional, you may regularly deal with employees wanting a better job title or more money. Now it’s your turn to make a bid. Here are six tips for how to ask for a raise or promotion.

#1. Research Industry Figures 

Take the time to learn the lay of land. Leverage resources—like ATD’s Salary Wizard or O*NET OnLine—to learn the median salary for your position and geographic location. If you have an HR-related title, the Salary Calculator from OfficeTeam is another useful tool. 

#2. Put Your Accomplishments in Writing 

When strategizing about how to ask for a raise or promotion, you need to give your boss tangible reasons you deserve one. If you haven’t already, compile and keep a list of accomplishments during the past year, such as how many new hires you helped onboard, your successful initiatives, what curricula you’ve designed, number of assessments you’ve conducted, and so forth. 

If you have an annual review with numerical metrics, pull out your most recent one and note goals you’ve met and exceeded. In addition, gather together any kudos you’ve received lately. These could be awards, formal recognition, or thank-you messages from trainees, colleagues, and senior management. 

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#3. Plan Your Approach 

Even professional communicators like training specialists get a little nervous when asking for more money. To come across as convincing and persuasive as possible, practice what you’ll say. In your pitch, list your recent accomplishments and all the ways you’ve gone beyond your job description. 

Recent research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that offering a salary range is more effective than an exact figure because it signals flexibility and politeness. Name a range where your ideal salary is on the low end. 

#4. Ask for a Strategic Promotion 

A salary increase is nice, but a promotion shows the world you’re moving up in the ranks. A good time to request one is when someone a level above you leaves or moves up the ladder. But even if your company has low turnover, you can still ask for a promotion by moving up within your job title. For example, if you’re presently a training manager, you could request to be elevated to senior training manager.

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#5. Time Your Request 

You’re more likely to get what you ask for when you are smart about when to make the pitch. In some areas, there’s no time like the present, but not when it comes to raises and promotions. Here’s when not to ask:


  • the week before your boss goes on vacation
  • during a major workplace transition, such as a merger and acquisition
  • before an important client event or reporting deadline. 

Some of the best times to ask for a promotion include:

  • after you’re received a degree, certification, or professional award
  • weeks before your performance review
  • shortly after you’ve finished conducting a major successful training session. 

#6. Prepare Plan B Responses 

Despite all the work you’ve put into your research and preparation, the answer to your request could still be “no.” If it’s not forthcoming, ask for an explanation and be prepared to respond. For example, if a promotion is possible but not a raise, accept the offer and politely request to revisit the issue in three months. 

Your company knows it needs to increase its retention efforts in an improving economy, so now may be a good time for suggesting a raise or promotion. Knowing how to ask will make the difference in whether you stagnate in your role or improve your job satisfaction—and your salary.

About the Author

Bill Driscoll is the New England District President of Accountemps, a division of Robert Half, and is based in the company’s Boston office. He oversees professional staffing services for Robert Half’s 23 offices throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and portions of New York.   Driscoll serves as a national spokesperson for Accountemps and has been featured in several top publications, including the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Globe. He has also made appearances on local and national outlets, including WFXT, WBZ, WCVB, NECN, PBS, and Fox Business News. He is considered a local and national expert on recruiting practices, hiring and job search trends, and other workplace issues.

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