Time for a raise

How long have you been working at the same pay scale?

Have you gained any additional skills?

Are you more valuable than you were when the last raise was given?

Negotiating for a raise can be tricky, but if you can think about your situation and feel that you warrant a pay raise then make a plan.

Write out your ideas for the proposal in advance so as to study and memorize the reasons why you deserve one.

It will give you more confidence when you bring up the subject of earning more money with the person in charge of making the decision.

There are tricks to climbing the ladder and getting a pay raise. Here are a few.

Take a look at your company.

Ask yourself, are they doing well enough to afford to give you a raise?

Find out what other people in the same field at your workplace and at other companies are getting paid.

Try to have these figures on paper to present to the boss.

Have a list of reasons why you have gained in value to the company.

Write out the list.

List your accomplishments

and the value that they bring to the company.

Maybe you figured out a way to save thousands of dollars in the manufacture or shipping of products.

Did you bring in new accounts to the company, resulting in a noticeable increase, in profits?

Make a more formal than casual appointment to talk with your boss. Don't do it on the way out the door or in the lunchroom where you might cross paths.

Be sure to have their undivided attention.

This will lower the chances of being distracted and asking you to talk about it later which might mean never.

Remind the boss if need be of how long it has been since you got a raise.

Plan ahead of time how you will react if you are rejected or offered a smaller raise than you want.

If the offer is low or rejected, have you been offered a reasonable criticism?

What about getting a job with another company?

If you have a valid offer, it will give a lot of confidence, and make them realize the position that you put them in.

Like a good Boy Scout, you should "Be Prepared".

I like to say negotiate from a position of strength.