How to Ask for a Raise

Once you have been working and proved yourself a success in your job you inevitably start to think about either a promotion, a raise or both.

However, this can often lead to an awkward situation in that if you put your request forward but it is denied do you have to quit? How can you show that this is a serious request but not be too aggressive as to create any antagonism towards you?

You need to think about your situation and decide how important your request is and how far you are willing to go. Unless you are prepared to leave avoid any threats.

Prove that you have been worth what they have been paying you and that you deserve more by showing any extra work and responsibilities that you have taken on. If your work speaks for itself it is very hard to deny your request. Appeal to their sense of fairness and that a raise will motivate you to work even harder.

Avoid comparing yourself to colleagues and childish comments such as "Tom does the same work as I do and he gets paid more." In most cases, salaries should be a confidential matter and should be discussed among colleagues.

Don't forget that most employers will expect you to push your own salary up – they won't always offer you more money on a plate.