It's perfectly normal to ask for a pay bump, especially if you've taken on more duties, gained more experience, or if your salary needs to be adjusted to match the market. But many don't know how to ask for a raise to begin with.

According to a survey by OnePoll, the average American hasn’t received a raise in 3 years. Those who have, received an average of 3% yearly – which doesn’t even keep up with inflation.

Don’t let your fear of asking for a raise hold you back from earning more. It isn’t like you’re asking for a favor. Raises are how employers show recognition and make sure their employees are paid fairly as their responsibilities increase. They want to retain good talent and talent usually sticks around with a high-paying job.

Asking for a raise is similar to negotiating a salary offer. There are several things to consider and steps to follow. In this article, we’ll dig into how to ask for a raise, when to do it, and what to say.

Key Points:

• It’s normal to ask for a raise. You won’t get fired for it.
• Know when to ask for a raise and time it wisely. The best time tends to be before employee review cycles.
• Be polite when asking for a raise. Negotiations aren’t fights, they’re discussions with compromises. 
• Do market research to know how much to ask for using our free Market Research Guide.
• Build a “brag sheet” of your responsibilities and accomplishments to back up your raise request.
• Know what to say (and what to not say) when discussing a raise with your manager.
• Draft a rough script of what to say during the meeting and practice it with another person.

1. Know when to ask for a raise.

When you ask for a raise matters a lot. Timing is crucial, considering budget fluctuations, performance evaluations, and the company's raise schedule. If you're new, it's best to wait at least six months before bringing up a raise.
 

Before asking, think about the current financial health of the company and the best times of the year to ask. Employers usually hold annual or quarterly reviews with their employees, and if you have one approaching then your employer may already be preparing for a raise discussion.

Employee reviews may have set raises the company gives out depending on if the employee gets “meets expectations” or “above expectations” such as 3%, 4%, 5%, and so on depending on your company’s budget. Know how to handle these discussions to negotiate a higher raise. 

For instance, if you receive a satisfactory review that only comes with a 3% raise, use your accomplishments and any recent increases of responsibility to push for more. If available, refer to the company's and team's business objectives for the year and show your manager a few ways you've met or exceeded expectations for those objectives.

Another good time of the year to ask for a raise is the end of the fiscal year, which is a 12-month accounting period in which budgets are set, including salary adjustments such as raises. It may or may not align with the calendar year, so you will have to check what those dates are at your job.

However, you don’t have to wait for employee reviews or a specific time of the year to ask for a raise. You should mention it frequently and check in on your goals to meet the expectations of a raise on a quarterly basis.

2. How much of a raise should I ask for?

When determining how much to ask for, consider your performance, achievements, and market value. It's often recommended to request a raise in the range of 5% to 15% of your current salary, but the specific amount will depend on your individual circumstances, your market rate, and the overall context of the request. 

If you don’t know your market rate, use our free Market Research Guide to calculate what that is. This involves researching typical salary ranges for your position, level of experience, location, and other factors. Our Salary Database can help you with that part.
 

Other tools to use for salary research include Glassdoor and Payscale. Once you find your market rate, adjust for your experience, role, and responsibilities and be prepared to present that data as you negotiate your salary.

You can also discuss salary with coworkers about their experience with negotiating raises at the company so you know what to expect. Thanks to pay transparency laws across the United States, this is totally legal and your employer can’t retaliate against you for doing so.

3. How to Set Up The Meeting With Your Manager

It's important to be polite and professional in your approach when setting up a meeting with your manager to discuss a potential raise. Start by sending an email to schedule the meeting, clearly stating the purpose and desired outcome. 

Express your appreciation for their time and offer flexibility in scheduling. Provide a brief overview of the topics you'd like to discuss, including your performance, achievements, and reasons for requesting a raise. Don’t forget to schedule the meeting at a time when your manager is likely to be available and when you can have a focused and uninterrupted conversation.

4. How to Ask For a Raise via Email: Template & Example

See below for an email template to use for your raise request, along with an example email using a real-life scenario with the position title of Digital Marketing Analyst.

Email template:

Subject: Request for Salary Review

Dear [Manager's Name],

I hope you’re doing well! I am extremely thankful for having the opportunity to learn and grow in my role as a [Position Title] at [Company Name]. I am proud of the work I’ve been able to contribute along with the team. As I continue to grow in my role and acquire new skills and responsibilities, I would like to take the time to discuss my performance and contributions, and request a salary review.

Over the past [time period], I’ve had the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and projects, such as [name 1 new responsibility] and [name 1 big project that you recently completed]. I believe that my efforts have contributed positively to the team and our company's goals.

I’ve taken the initiative to research industry standards for my position, and based on my findings, I would like to request a salary adjustment to align with market rates. I am confident that my skills, experience, and achievements warrant this adjustment.

I have outlined some key points below to support my request:

• Accomplishments: Highlight specific achievements and projects you have successfully completed.
• Additional Responsibilities: Describe any additional tasks or duties you have taken on since your last salary review.
• Market Research: Provide data or references to support your claim that your current salary is below market standards for your role.

Could we schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss this further? I understand your time is limited, so let me know which week works the best for you and I can find a time on the calendar that works best for the both of us. I am also willing to provide any additional information or documentation you may require. 

Thank you for considering my request and I look forward to our meeting.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Real-Life Email Example:

Subject: Request for Salary Review

Dear Linda,

I hope you’re doing well! I am extremely thankful for having the opportunity to learn and grow in my role as a Digital Marketing Analyst at ABC Company. I am proud of the work I’ve been able to contribute, along with the team. As I continue to grow in my role and acquire new skills and responsibilities, I would like to take the time to discuss my performance and contributions, and request a salary review.

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and projects, such as implementing a new social media advertising strategy and leading the development of our content marketing calendar. I believe that my efforts have contributed positively to the team and our company's goals.

I’ve taken the initiative to research industry standards for my position, and based on my findings, I would like to request a salary adjustment to align with market rates. I am confident that my skills, experience, and achievements warrant this adjustment.

I have outlined some key points below to support my request:

• Accomplishments: Successfully increased website traffic by 30% through SEO optimization and content marketing initiatives.
• Additional Responsibilities: Took on an additional role of managing our influencer marketing partnerships, resulting in a 25% increase in brand visibility and engagement.
• Market Research: According to recent data from industry reports and job postings, the average salary for Digital Marketing Analysts with similar experience and qualifications is $80,000.

Could we schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss this further? I understand your time is limited, so let me know which week works the best for you and I can find a time on the calendar that works best for the both of us. I am also willing to provide any additional information or documentation you may require.

Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to our meeting.

Sincerely,

Stephanie

5. Prepare for the meeting.

Before your meeting with your manager, refer to the accomplishments, additional responsibilities, and market research that you included in your email. Then, expand on any other accomplishments that weren’t mentioned. 

A great way to do this is to create a brag sheet that includes all your “wins”. It’s best to note these throughout the year on a spreadsheet or in your notes app on your phone. But if you haven’t been doing that, go through your old emails and past projects (and their results) to gather what you’ve done. 

It’s also helpful to look for emails with testimonials from colleagues and management praising you. Save any emails with praise to a specific folder in Outlook for easy retrieval.

From there, think about what you’ll say in the meeting and how to say it.

6. Draft a rough script and practice, practice, practice.

Another way to prepare for the meeting with your manager is to create a conversational script of what you want to say and how you’ll say it. 

The script may go something like this:

Employee: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, [Manager's Name]. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my performance and potential salary adjustments.

Manager: Of course, [Your Name]. What specifically did you want to discuss regarding your performance and compensation?

Employee: Over the past year, I've taken on additional responsibilities and projects, such as [mention specific examples]. I believe these contributions have positively impacted our team and the company's goals. Considering industry standards, similar positions recently posted on the company’s website, my experience, skills, & market rate, I believe a salary of [$X] makes the most sense moving forward.

Manager: I see. Your contributions have definitely been valuable to the team. Let me look into the salary data you've provided and consider how it aligns with our budget and company policies.

Employee: I understand and look forward to your response.

Manager: Thank you for your understanding. Let me review the information you've provided and follow up with you soon.

Employee: Thank you, [Manager's Name]. I appreciate your time and support.

This conversation may differ depending on your unique situation and why you’re asking for a raise. To build confidence as you prepare, rehearse with another person to get acclimated to how the conversation may flow. Recording yourself to note your body language and speech patterns can also be a helpful way to prepare.

For more scripts to use when negotiating salary, raises, and benefits, use our salary negotiation scripts.

7. Crush the meeting.

Come into the meeting with an open mind. You’ll have better luck negotiating if you’re clear and direct without being defensive. Negotiations aren’t fights, they’re discussions.

Think of why your manager would want to give you a raise. How long have you been there? How have your responsibilities increased or changed since you were hired? When your job description changes, your pay should reflect that. All of these factors should be considered during this conversation.

This is where you present your accomplishments and explain their business value. This is basically anything you’ve contributed that you can show how it positively affected the business (use that brag sheet!). 

For example, one of your accomplishments could be: “I’ve been leading several projects to correct website defects, which resulted in an increase in website traffic that eventually led to more product purchases. In these projects, I am taking on additional responsibilities that would normally be under a more senior position.” This shows how your contributions directly affected their profits 

8. What happens if the answer is “no”?

The worst thing they can say is no. Right? But, what do you do when your request is rejected? If you don’t get the raise you hoped for, you might be able to compromise with your employer and negotiate for additional benefits like flexwork and more vacation time.

If the answer is something along the lines of a “maybe”, be patient because it’s likely your manager has to revisit the team’s budget or get approval for your request. 

9. Send a follow up email after the meeting thanking your manager for their time.

Your manager's time is probably limited and there are many things they might forget throughout the work day. Sending a followup email after the meeting that thanks them for their time and recaps key points will keep your request on the top of their mind.

Include your accomplishments in key points to make it easier for your manager if they have to get approval. Also link to your market research data that you referred to in the meeting.  Managers love when their employees help make their job easier in ways like this.

What Not to Say When Asking for a Pay Raise

Now that we’ve covered all the things that you should say when asking for a raise, let’s cover what NOT to say.

Avoid any of these statements if you want your raise request to be taken seriously:

• "I've been here longer than most people, so I should get a raise."
• “I deserve a raise.”
• "I heard [colleague's name] got a raise, so I should too."
• "I'm struggling financially and need more money."
• "I'll quit if I don't get a raise."
• "I know the company is doing well financially, so why haven't I received a raise yet?"

Why You Should Always Negotiate

Asking for a raise can sometimes mean the difference between a $85k and $100k salary. Imagine what you could do with that money! 

Negotiations are nothing to be scared of. These are standard procedures with employers, so make good use of them.

This is why salary transparency is so important. It gives you both the data and confidence to navigate negotiations, and get paid what you deserve. 

Want to join the movement? Explore over 5,000+ individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our Salary Database!

That wraps it up for this week. Until next time, stay awesome, stay strong, and keep advocating for yourself no matter what! I’m Daniella, a writer, engineer, and creator of I Like to Dabble and Remote Work Bestie - my blog and podcast for leveling up your money, career, and side hustles. I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the Salary Transparent Street blog (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin, and Twitter. Chat soon!

If this guide helps you to get a raise, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@salarytransparentstreet.com

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