How To Ask for a Salary Increase - Part 1

Seeking a salary increase above the inflation rate is never easy. And yet it’s essential, for at the “inflation rate”, after taxes, you may end up with no more money; perhaps less. Here’s what some Human Resource sources suggest you can do to get an above average raise in good times and bad.

Follow these salary increase questions steps to get you that pay increase.

• Trumpet your worth. All too often your employer is not aware of how much profit you delivered to your company. If you cut costs $150,000 in your department, but your departments bottom line shows exactly what you budgeted, he may not realize you did it. You had taken serious “defensive” moves to protect the corporation’s profitability. Tell your boss about this saving!
• How much you want. Your best move is to table, in point by point form, the $150,000 cost cuts you made and how you did it. In writing! Ask for a meeting with your superior. Point out what you achieved. And in a business-like manner, discuss the value you gave. If your boss then realizes your value – especially you pulled this off year after year - he might then realize your worth. He might realize your salary increase is worth 4% of this $150,000 amount, or $6,000.
• Take on more responsibilitiy. Salary increases are based on profit accomplishments and merit. Never on what you think you need. One way to seeking a salary increase is to take on more responsibility, with no immediate pay raise.

Look out for part 2 next month.