Probably one of the most important skills to understand is how to ask for the thing you need from your employer. Money doesn’t grow on trees so that as CPI increases, it seems our salaries don’t. Asking for a raise is tough in tough economic times, although not impossible.

Here are 3 ideas to guide you on your way;

1. Prove your worth

Firstly, to get a raise you need to prove to your boss that you’re worthy of it. Create a list of the reasons why you deserve an increase. Did you reach sales targets? Have you save the company money? Had you been involved in the hire of recent staff? Did you implement a brand new system/policy/procedure? Or did you simply save your valuable boss time? Regardless of the reasons, you need to be superior on them all. Obtaining a raise is intrinsically associated with your attitude, your abilities as well as your results. Whatever may be happening in your personal world and finances play no role, when talking to a manager in regards to a pay raise. This is actually the moment to toot your personal horn and sell your good things about the company!

2. Rehearse your request

Practice what you’re going to present to your manager and make sure you sound convincing. It’s very expensive for companies to exchange good staff as well as your knowledge and skills count a lot, so it is essential that you showcase your achievements.

3. Opting for Gold!

The next step is to create a time with your boss when you are aware he or she is likely to be inside a good mood. When will they function best, morning or afternoon? Pick the time of day when you notice your manager to be in best spirits. Request a conference and deliver your request beginning with explaining what you have achieved. Tell a tale by reminding your manager when you began within the role, what you have learned and most importantly what you have achieved. If you have satisfactorily proven your worth, then its time to ask for a raise by asking an open-ended question.

Eg: Since i have have been able to achieve XXXXXX previously 12 months, I would like to request a 5-10% raise.

This has explained your reason for valuable and providing a variety for the increase, provides you with more leverage, instead of asking for an actual amount of money. Ensure your request is realistic. Requesting more than 10% is usually a stretch if you don’t have accomplished amazing things.

Realize that more money usually goes hand-in-hand with increased expectations. So be ready, as you may be required to increase the value to the company which can present itself in several ways. The opportunities exist for you to take.