Ready to Talk Salary? Start Here.

45% of people who quit their jobs wanted a raise according to Glassdoor — My question is whether or not they asked for what they needed and if they set up the conversation in the right way to get it.

It can be a nerve-wracking conversation, but it doesn’t have to be. If you want to start earning more money, it’s one that you must prepare to face. 

What often gets overlooked is what it takes to set up a conversation to talk salary — like how to know if you’re ready to have the conversation. 

You’re nervous about having a conversation about a salary bump because it’s a big deal.

Let’s make sure you have the right setup to what you’re hoping for in the end.

[Free Salary Template]

Your Email Message

for Your Boss is Ready

Grab the one email you need to kickoff your salary increase request with your manager.

It’s written by a communications pro just for you. As easy as copy – paste – edit – send.

How NOT to Approach a Salary Conversation

Most people just jump into a one-on-one conversation with their boss and bring it up as if it’s a no-big-deal side conversation with no warning or prep work ahead of time. 

They’re looking at the situation along a similar line of something minor like leaving the (virtual) office early for an appointment.

It’s much bigger than that. 

Talking salary deserves more attention — after all, you want your boss to know that you realize that receiving a salary increase is a sign of dedication and recognition meant for a leader. 

Worst case scenario: You jump the gun in asking for a salary bump without the prep work and your boss dismisses your request because you’re not serious, haven’t done the work, and you’re just acting “entitled.”

Ready to talk salary? Start the conversation the right way.

P.S. Get access to the one email that will kickstart the “big ask” with your boss the right way. Just plug-and-play with your details to make the template all your own.

Know if it’s Time to Talk Salary with Your Boss

Preparing to talk salary is THE most missed step in the process.

Spot the Right Timing to Talk Salary

You’ll always want to earn more money, no matter what. But that doesn’t mean you should ask for a raise whenever you decide.

The “big ask” must be strategic and planned.

So, when can you ask? To determine that, think through these two questions:

>> Is your annual performance review close?

Many companies have a specific time period of when managers make decisions on who should get a raise during annual compensation planning. This usually aligns with your company’s annual performance review cycle. 

The good news, if it’s not near your performance review time period, you have time to set up the conversation with your boss before they need to make their selections. 

If you’re close to your performance review time period and you haven’t set the stage with your boss up until this point, you missed the boat. I don’t recommend asking for a raise for the first time in your annual performance review conversation – it’s likely if you haven’t heard anything from your boss on the topic, they’ve chosen someone else. 

If you expect a raise outside of the compensation adjustment window, your manager may say “it’s out of my control, the annual budgets are closed.” You don’t want this. Instead, you want your manager to already be thinking of you before they need to make their selections. Keep reading to get the one email you need to get the ball rolling now.

>> Have you been in your role for less than 1 year? 

The caution for asking for a raise before that marker is that your boss may be consider you still in training for your role.

The exception to this timeframe is if you set up the salary increase expectation in the beginning, such as “In 6 months I’d like to review my performance to ensure I’m on track and that my salary matches my responsibilities.”

Prepare to Answer Questions from Your Boss

When you talk salary with your boss, it’s a two-way conversation. Your boss will want to know that you’re prepared for the conversation and they will judge this based on how you hold yourself in the conversation.

You’re ready to have a conversation with your boss about your salary when you have thought through these questions and have prepared responses. The best responses are paired with examples as your boss will want to have further context to base their decision on, especially if they need to talk your salary increase request to HR or their boss. Context is key, be prepared to give it to them.

Start by considering this list of questions:

1. Have you received recognition from leadership for a project you led or participated on as a member?

2. Are you taking on work that is outside of your traditional role and responsibilities?

3. Have you designed a way to get your work and your team’s work done more efficiently?

4. Are your team members or stakeholders looking to you for leadership?

5. Have you exceeded your quarterly or annual goals early?

Treat Your Salary Conversation Like a Project

>> Have you thought about what percentage increase in your salary you would be happy with? What is your number?

Start by looking at market trends for your position. You can compare to both internal and external positions.  

Externally, you can find this information by using online salary comparison tools. They source data from actual employees across the country, which gives you accurate numbers for comparison. Once you find out, you can determine a fair wage to negotiate.

Internally, start by having conversations with your close colleagues. Understanding where you are in the compensation range is something you should know – arguably, as well as you know the amount of money available in your bank account.

You also want to do some thinking on your career goals. By letting your boss know what you’d like to achieve, they are more willing to help you.

>> What are your career goals? Does your salary increase reflect the new skills you’ve developed or future skills that are on your career roadmap?

Securing a raise often leads to more responsibility, you’ll want to be able to point your boss in the direction of the growth opportunities you need that align with the team or department.

To help get you started or to refine what you have, you can join me in a free masterclass to learn more about a career roadmap that you can use in your salary discussion with your boss.

Evaluate Your Work Performance Honestly

How has your work performance been lately?

Take a note of any recent successes you’ve had, like:

>> Generating new leads or new business

>> Bringing new ideas to the table that get implemented 

>> Increasing client ratings or receiving kudos from stakeholders

You need to prove that you’re actively contributing value. It doesn’t have to be significant, the value you’re providing just needs to be aligned to your team goals and your department goals.

Lasting Thoughts

Once you’ve mastered these areas, it’s time to talk salary with your boss:

1. Spot the right timing to have a salary increase conversation

2. Prepare to answer questions from your boss to give context

3. Treat your salary conversation like a project

4. Evaluate your work performance honestly

Use examples to support your position and have market research showing the average salaries for similar positions or internally salary points.

No matter how the conversation goes, you can rest assured knowing you faced it head-on! If you work through the steps above before approaching the salary increase conversation, you’ll position yourself as a leader in front of your boss worth real consideration.

[Free Salary Template]

Your Email Message

for Your Boss is Ready

Grab the one email you need to kickoff your salary increase request with your manager.

It’s written by a communications pro just for you. As easy as copy – paste – edit – send.