How to Get a Raise

A number of years ago I was on a short flight—less than an hour—from Colorado Springs to Denver, Colorado. I said “hi” to the woman sitting next to me when we sat down then asked where she was headed.

“I’m going for my annual performance appraisal with my manager,” she replied.

“That’s great,” I said. “What’s your strategy?”

“What do you mean?” she responded.

I expanded, “What’s your plan to make the most of your appraisal and to maximize your raise?”

She indicated that she didn’t have a plan.

“So, you’re going to basically show up with your hat in your hand and hope for the best?” I pondered out loud.

“What would you suggest?” she asked.

“Well, it’s up to you, but if I was about to meet with my manager for my annual performance appraisal, I’d come to the meeting with a plan. I’d tell him about all of the great things I did for him over the past year and my commitment to continue doing great work that makes him look good over the upcoming year if I’m properly compensated for that effort.”

My seatmate got quiet and reflective and didn’t immediately respond. Finally, she said, “I’ve never done that before.”

“And what kind of raises have you received in previous years?” I queried.

“2–5 percent,” she replied. “Typically the going rate for increases in the company for any given year.”

“Well, there you have it! I want to wish you all the best with your review,” I replied.

A week or so later I received a postcard from my seatmate on that short flight. She said she did exactly what I had suggested, her boss was a bit taken aback, but she ended up getting a 35 percent salary increase!

She didn’t offer me any cut on her new found wealth, but I felt happy for her just the same. I feel everyone deserves to get the most out of their life, although it seems that people are often complacent and even resigned to their fate in life. They feel they have little control over the circumstances of their lives and have all but given up on trying to improve things.

The conversation with my seatmate did make me wonder, however, how many others were blindly hoping against hope that their manager and/or company would “take care of them” in such situations or that they were even on their side to begin with?

A friend once told me: “The biggest mistake you can make in life is to think you work for someone else.” I wrote those words on a flip chart in my office and reflect upon them often. No matter what job you have in life—even if someone else is paying you—you are actually working for yourself. No one else is going to watch out for you if you’re not watching out for yourself. No one is going to ever care about your success as much as you need to. It’s up to you to drive your own career! It’s time to be clear about what you want and expect from your life as a first step in actually achieving those things.

These suggestions will help prepare you to ask for the raise you deserve:

• Determine the market worth for your job. Your salary will typically reflect the going rate for positions with similar responsibilities in your geographic area. Try to determine your market worth for your responsibilities by asking: Do you have special expertise, knowledge, or skills? Do you act autonomously, with little if any direction? Do you provide direction to others, even if they do not directly report to you? Do you have authority to make decisions, spend money, or use company resources? Do you represent your manager or the company to others? These are the types of factors that indicate the level of your position and your subsequent worth within the organization.

• Show how you have added value to the organization. If you can show that your activities have led to increased revenues for the organization, then it is logical to suggest that you should share in those revenues. What projects and responsibilities have you taken on since your last salary review? How have those activities led directly or indirectly to increased revenues for the organization? Where have you taken initiative to do more than was asked of you? Have you exceeded expectations (and results) for your manager? Be specific. How have you personally helped your manager look good?

• State what you expect for an increase and why that amount is justified. Based on your diligence, you should be able to identify—and support—a specific salary increase. If you do your homework and are proactive in stating what you expect, you make it easier for your manager to agree and, if necessary, fight for your request with others in the organization.