How to get a pay rise

How to get a pay rise: Asking, negotiating or getting a pay rise,  raise, salary increase or job promotion can be successful and rewarding if done correctly. There is no standard method, but there are different approaches on how to ask, negotiate or get a pay rise, raise, salary increase or job promotion. It is best to have a meeting instead of writing a pay rise request letter or sending a pay rise request email.

Also see our Salary Negotiation Example &  Work From Home.  

In addition to our free FAQ & ASK US feature, we also offer a coaching service for a fee. This is especially helpful if you require us to work with you to help get a pay rise, for salary negotiation for a new job.... etc. See our salary negotiation & pay rise coaching & consulting  page.

Frequently asked questions- Salary/ Pay Rise

Through The Hidden Job Market, if a company finds the right candidate for a job, without having to advertise or having to go through the trouble of searching or recruiting,  they will hire that person. As you would be the only candidate, you will be able to negotiate a higher starting salary. 

To follow are some tips on how to ask, negotiate or get a pay rise, raise, salary increase or job promotion:

• Whatever approach you choose to secure your next pay rise, you need to negotiate. 

• If you are expecting a 10% pay rise, you should ask for an 18% rise & then negotiate with your boss/ employer. If your job role is critical, if your underpaid or if your role would be hard to fill if you left, then you be in a more powerful position to negotiate your next pay rise. 

• It is best to avoid writing a pay rise/ raise letter or email, unless you have to. A face to face discussion is best for these situations. While some write a pay rise or salary increase request letter, we recommend you ask for a meeting with your immediate manager & discuss this in the meeting. On rare occasions, to justify why you deserve the pay rise to more than your immediate manager, you may be asked to write a pay rise or salary increase request letter. Even if your immediate manager is in a different location, it is better to wait until you can discuss in a meeting instead of writing a pay rise request letter. 

• Many companies review everyone's salary on a yearly basis. Asking for a higher pay rise at your yearly review is fine, provided you deserve it. 

• Evaluate what you are worth in the market place through newspaper ads, associations, colleagues... etc. This can be used as a benchmark for how much you should ask for.

• Make weekly or monthly notes of all your achievements & how the company &/ or its clients have benefited from your achievements. This is one of the best justifications for a pay rise.

• If you deserve a pay rise, ask for it, even if your boss/ employer says the economy is not that good ... etc. and don't give up, even if they are not giving anyone a pay rise.

• If you are confident that you deserve a pay rise, be persistent, but be reasonable & professional. Do not push your manager into making a quick decision.

• If there are a combination of negative factors such as bad economy, high unemployment in your field or industry and/ or your performance is not that good, you should delay the request or at least don't be persistent until the factors improve.

• You can practically ask for a pay rise at any time of the year, but the best times to ask are; after the company announces its good financial results, before next year's budget, after you have secured another job with a competitor or after you have completed a major project.

• Sometimes, if you don't ask for a pay rise, you won't get one, so don't hesitate to ask for a pay rise.

• It is usually quite simple to ask & if you haven't received a pay rise recently, your boss is probably expecting you to ask for one.

• A pay rise can be in the form of salary packaging. It can be a company car, laptop, additional insurance, cell or mobile phone.... etc.

• If you ask for a pay rise & you are not successful, ask your boss what will qualify you for a pay rise in the future & what the timeframe is. Follow up with him/ her within the timeframe given to you. 

• When you are successful in getting a pay rise, it is a good idea to thank your manager verbally, via email or via letter.

Salary negotiations for a new job offer: 

• When applying for a job or during the initial interview, we do not recommend disclosing you current pay rate or salary. Delay answering this question by saying something like "I am sure we'll agree on a salary that's acceptable to both parties" or "my salary requirements are negotiable"

• If you are earning higher than their budget, they may eliminate you. 

• If you are earning less than their budget, you may miss out on a higher salary. 

• Let the employer decide to hire you first, then discuss salary. You will be in a much better position to negotiate a higher salary and to secure the position.

• Always negotiate after you are offered the job, but before you accept the offer.

• Be decisive and very serious in your moves.

• Obviously if you have more than one job offer, you will be in a better position to negotiate a higher salary & pick the the better job. This can be tricky, so be genuine in your discussions as you don't want to end up with no offers.

• It is easier to start with a higher starting salary than to start with a lower starting salary & expect to get a high pay rise in the near future to make up for it. 

• Once you get the job offer show your interest, but it is best not to give them an answer right away. Let them know that you will get back to them later that afternoon or first thing in the morning. This allows you to review the offer and prepare your negotiation process. Be prepared by going through the two scenarios in our Salary Negotiation Example.

• Start with the base salary negotiations first. Once you agree on a base salary, start negotiating additional benefits.

• To get you to accept a job offer, some employers will say we'll review your salary in six months. Be aware that while they probably will, they usually will only give you a pay rise if your performance is above their expectations. So once you start working for a company the normal pay rise criteria will apply to you. So accept an offer that you will be satisfied with in case you don't get a pay rise in a few months. 

• Keep in mind that most employers are happy to negotiate your salary package as a whole. 

• It is not uncommon for an employer to negotiate a few extra paid holidays or annual leave in the first year due to a pre-planned commitment... etc.

• Also, if you are currently working, it is best not to resign, as you will be in a better position to secure and negotiate a higher starting salary for the new job if you are currently working. 

Related topics we'll be adding shortly: online salary negotiation coaching, job promotion tips, job promotion letter, how to qualify for your next job promotion, accepting or rejecting a new job offer and salary packaging negotiations.

ASK US if you have questions or if you need assistance/ advice to negotiate your next pay rise or to negotiate a salary for a new job offer.

A well written resume will help you in your job search to target higher paying jobs.

Also see our frequently asked questions-salary & pay