How to ask for a pay rise

How to ask for a pay rise

How to ask for a pay rise

By Sue Ellson

There are several steps:

1. Be prepared to ask
2. Do your research
3. Prepare your case
4. Ask the question
5. Follow up

Be prepared to ask for a pay rise

1. Be prepared to ask

I haven’t met too many employers who automatically increase an employee’s pay, remuneration or benefits on a regular or even annual basis.

If you want a pay rise, you may need to ask for one!

The most logical time to make the request is at your annual performance review (if you have one).

But if you don’t have any form of check-in, you may need to find the courage to ask for one at some other time.

Either way, you need to be prepared with your pay increase rationale.

You also need to ask yourself, “Am I doing ‘all’ of my job and doing it at or above the level expected for my current pay grade?”

Also, do you have everything ‘up-to-date’ on your side if you need to consider other options if a pay rise is out of the question and you need to move on?

Is your LinkedIn Profile fully completed with
- all of your achievements for each role listed
- all of your tasks for each role listed
- more than five votes for each of your skills
- at least six recommendations both given and received

Remember, that people will look at your LinkedIn Profile when you are in a job as well as when you apply for a new job.

What about your resume or CV? Are you job-hunt ready if you can’t get the pay rise you would like?

Have you maintained your three essential networks in life — personal (friends and family), professional (at your job and in the profession or industry) and social (sports, hobbies and interests) to help you manage any transition you need to go through.