Difficult Pay Raise Interview Preparation Guide

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☛ Do not take it personally.
☛ Ask your boss what you can do differently.
☛ Send a follow-up email saying thank you.
☛ Be persistent.
☛ Consider looking elsewhere if the situation does not change.

Successful requests are all about good timing. Ask yourself what you have done within a demonstrable time period that has made you more valuable to the firm or organization. It does not make sense to ask for a pay raise when you have not yet demonstrated anything amazing for the firm regardless of long you have been there.
☛ The time is right when your value to the organization is clearly high.
☛ This means seizing the iron while it is hot and asking for a pay raise off the back of excellent successes such as holding a highly successful conference, getting fantastic feedback, getting a big client signed on, producing outstanding work that outsiders have praised, etc.
☛ Do not choose a time when the company has just posted major losses.
☛ Asking for a pay rise based purely on "time done" is dangerous because it makes you appear like a timekeeper rather than someone interested in the company's progression. Never say to your boss: "I have been here for a year and I deserve a pay raise.

Pay particular attention to projects you have worked on, problems you have helped solve and how business operations and profits have improved since you started. This is about more than just doing your job well, which you are already expected to do but about going above and beyond the duties of your job and ultimately, it boils down to improving the company's bottom line. Some questions to consider when developing your case include:
☛ Did you complete or help to complete a tough project? And get positive results from it?
☛ Did you work extra hours or meet an urgent deadline? Are you continuing to demonstrate this type of commitment?
☛ Did you take initiative? In what ways?
☛ Did you go beyond the call of duty? In what ways?
☛ Did you save the company time or money?
☛ Did you improve any systems or processes?
☛ Did you empower others with your support and guidance or training?

Some tactics to help manage this situation:
☛ Accept that in tough economic times, the needs of the company must come first. Sharing this line of thinking with an employee let them know where you are coming from and gives them insight into your decision-making process.
☛ You generally have little to no warning or control over when the employee will request a meeting to discuss a raise. Once asked, do not stall or delay this conversation. Handle it head on.
☛ Be compassionate, caring and understanding but it is important to note that there is no need to apologize. It is just a fact of life that when a company's business is down or facing risks, its employees will have to forgo raises.
☛ Let the individual make his or her pitch without interruptions or argument.
If correct, accept his or her assertions and numbers openly. Respond to every request, regardless of which pitch is used, with the same answer: the money is not there right now.
☛ Accept that there will be a certain amount of anger, annoyance or disappointment. It is understandable.
☛ Make a commitment to revisit this issue and assure the employee that there will be an increase as soon as it is feasible.

As a manager, I hate it when an employee points to someone else and calls out one aspect of that other person's compensation and then claims the right to parity. Sure that gal got more stock but maybe she takes less cash compensation. Maybe she is actually worth more because even though she has the same title as you at her firm that title means a much higher-level job. Maybe she has experience, education or skills that commands a premium. My point is this, data is a slippery slope you have to use it wisely. Do not use incomplete or bad data to make your case.

Timing is also key. There are natural times to discuss compensation, such as when you are first negotiating joining the firm. If you feel you have strong data to support that you are under compensated, letting your manager know the data before the end of year budgeting process is a good idea. You should also take the long view, if you are not properly compensated today, talk with your manager about what expectations you should have about your future outlook for compensation changes, and what you would have to do in terms of increased responsibilities or other actions to be more in line for growth in your compensation. Planning for career growth goes hand in hand. The easiest way to get a bigger paycheck is to earn a bigger job.

The most delicate negotiation occurs when you have been quietly looking elsewhere and you now have an offer that is higher than what you are currently being paid. There is no better market validation than an offer. If you are using that solely as a stalking horse to get a raise and if I were your boss…well, I would sure have liked you to come to me first to tell me you were unhappy you are your compensation and let me have a try at fixing it. On this tactic, all I can say is every firm is different and every person is different. For some, this is the only way to get your compensation raised. For others, it can taint the relationship forever. Use this with caution.

Here is one thing never to do when asking for more money. Never ask for it nor justify it because of your need. If you work for a for-profit entity, as many of us do, your need is completely irrelevant. While I can personally be hugely empathetic to your financial needs and hardships, I can not justify increasing your compensation because of them that is unfair to the company and to any coworker who puts in the same effort but walks away with less.

The secret here is to ensure the employee knows they are a valued worker, making a legitimate request that simply can not be met right now due to the company's financial status. A rational person will understand these kinds of circumstances. Acknowledge his disappointment by ensuring that you will come back to him with a raise as soon as the financial picture brightens.

You should never have to settle for less than you deserve. If you are shooting higher than your company is willing to pay, maybe it is better to apply for a different position that has a higher salary either with your company or another one. Think this possibility through carefully, there is no need to burn bridges just because your conversation with your boss did not go well.
☛ It is better to stick with it for a little while longer to try to work for that raise. But if months have passed and you have not gotten the recognition you deserve in spite of your hard work, then do not feel bad about seeing what other companies have to offer.

Your desire for a pay raise is now out in the open and your boss should be concerned about the possibility that you are looking for work elsewhere. Set a date for when you will ask again. Until that time, be sure to kick your work into high gear. Do not slack off just because you are disappointed that you will not be getting a raise yet.

This provides a dated, written record that you can remind your boss of in future negotiations. It will also remind your boss that you are grateful for the conversation that you had and shows him that you have follow-through.

This demonstrates your willingness to take your boss's opinions into account. It may be that both of you can agree on increased responsibilities and activities over a certain time period that gradually leads to a new role and a pay increase. This will also demonstrate your commitment to your job and your ability to work hard. Your boss will see you as a go-getter and you will be on his radar the next time raise season rolls around.
☛ If you are a star employee, keep performing excellently and ask again in a few months time.

If you allow the rejection to sour your attitude or affect your work, your boss will probably feel like he made the right decision. If you develop a reputation for having a bad attitude or for not accepting feedback, then your boss will be even less likely to give you a raise. Once your boss gives his final verdict, be as gracious as possible. Don't walk out of the room and slam the door.

☛ Make an appointment to talk to your boss.
☛ Present yourself well.
☛ Ask for the raise in specific terms and then wait for your boss's response.
☛ Thank your boss for his or her time.
☛ Hold your boss to the promise.

If the answer was yes, the final hurdle may be actually receiving the raise. Back-pedaling or even simple forgetfulness are always possibilities. Do not jump to conclusions if the raise does not go into effect right away. Things do go wrong: your boss might encounter resistance from the higher-ups or face budgetary problems, etc.
☛ Making your boss feel bad about reneging (for example, mentioning someone you know who asked for a pay raise only to have a boss take it back and how staff morale plummeted). This will have to be done subtly and with tact.
☛ Ask when your boss will implement the pay raise. A subtle way of doing this might be to ask if there is anything you need to sign to put it into effect.
☛ Go one step further and tell your boss: "I guess that you will have this arranged by the end of the month after you have approved the paperwork," etc. This puts a plan into action so that he or she does not have to.

This is important regardless of the answer you have been given. You can even go over and above by giving your boss more than they are expecting from you, such as a thank-you card or lunch invitation to say thanks. Consider sending a follow up email as well even if you have said thank you person multiple times.

Do not just say, "I want a raise." Tell your boss how much more money you want to make in percentage terms, such as wanting to make 10% more money. You can also talk in terms of how much you would like your yearly salary to increase. Whatever you say, be as specific as possible, so your boss sees that you have really thought it through. Here are the things that can happen:
☛ If it is an outright "no," see the next section.
☛ If it is "I need time to think about this," try to pinpoint a future time for reopening the discussion.
☛ If your boss agrees immediately, say something like, "Don't say yes unless you mean it" as a means of reinforcing it in his or her mind and then proceed to "hold your boss" to it.

Set time aside. If you just walk up and ask for a raise, you will seem unprepared and come across like you do not deserve one. You do not have to give too much advance notice but do seek privacy and a time you know you will not be interrupted. For example, when you walk in to work in the morning, say: "Before you leave, I would like to speak with you."
☛ Remember, a face-to-face request is far harder to turn down than a letter or email.
☛ Try to avoid Monday, when there will be a million things to do or Friday, when your boss may already have other things on his mind.

Be confident, not arrogant and stay positive. Speak politely and clearly to better maintain your composure. And finally, keep in mind that it probably will not be half as bad to ask as it did to work up the nerve. When you talk to your boss, lean in a bit if you are sitting down. This will help project confidence.
☛ Start by saying how much you enjoy your job. Being personable will help make that human connection with your boss.
☛ Follow up by discussing your achievements. This will show your boss why a pay raise matters to you.

This indicates to your boss that you see the larger picture and are positioned to help the company identify and capitalize on opportunities as they arise. You will always be one step ahead of the others in thinking about where the company is headed.
☛ Be sure to identify specific long-term goals and objectives that will benefit the company in the future.
☛ Keeping an existing employee happy is also less of a hassle than conducting interviews and hiring a new one. While you do not want to say this outright, emphasizing a positive role in your company's evolution which helps assure the company's future success will definitely resonate with your boss.

While this may be something you took into account when you first negotiated your salary, your role and responsibilities probably have changed. Look at similar levels in the industry to see what others are being paid for similar work. Determine the usual salary range for those who do what you do in your region or area. Getting market data for comparable positions can empower you by helping you be and feel more knowledgeable when you talk with your boss.
☛ While these things will be helpful when you build your case, they should not be used as the principal argument for getting a pay raise, they simply inform you about your potential worth, not your boss.

Though it can be hard to get a pay raise, it is worse to fall into the mindset of not asking for a pay rise, ever.
☛ In particular, women are often afraid to ask for a pay raise due to a mindset that does not want to appear demanding or pushy. See this as an opportunity to show that you care enough to develop a career trajectory that favors your workplace as well as yourself.
☛ Negotiation is a learned skill. If you are afraid of this aspect, take some time out to learn it and practice implementing it in a variety of contexts before approaching your boss.

It is important not to appear greedy but rather to remain realistic and reasonable.
☛ If you feel comfortable with your position, tie the salary increase to the increased revenue or profit that is tied to your past successes and expectations for the near future. If you anticipate being able to bring home a lucrative project or contract in the next few months, that may well fund your pay raise. The implication that the next ten months of your year are all bottom-line profit does not have to be stated explicitly, but, if the case is made convincingly, the conclusion is inescapable. If your boss sees an easy way to justify the salary increase to superiors, you are in a strong position, indeed.
☛ The usual tactic of negotiating from a much higher point is not as good an idea with salary increase requests because your boss might think you are trying to milk the company and push the boundaries.
☛ You can break the numbers down so they seem less imposing. For example, you can explain it as being an extra $40 a check rather than $2,200 for the year.
☛ You can also negotiate for more than just a pay raise. Maybe you are happy to take other things in lieu of money, such as shares in the company, a wardrobe allowance, rental assistance or even a more prestigious title. Ask for a company car or for a better one. If appropriate, talk about increased benefits, more conspicuous job titles, and modifications to your responsibilities, management oversight or assignments.

If your company is already over budget and suffering as a result of the recession, cut-backs or any other reasons, you might be better off waiting until later. During a recessionary period, some companies will not be able to provide pay raises without also endangering your job. However, this does not mean that you should use this as an excuse to delay asking for a raise indefinitely.