When a person has been in a job for any length of time and performed well, it’s natural to start thinking about asking for a raise of a promotion. This can be a somewhat tricky thing to approach a manager about however so one must take care when asking for a raise or promotion to ensure that it’s done in the best manner. Handled carefully, you can ask your boss for a raise or promotion with confidence and get the results you want. Here’s how…

Early on in your employment history, you may have had a raise or advancement policy explained to you by the hiring manager. It’s a good idea to contact the human resource department or personnel manager and ask for a confidential meeting to discuss a potential raise or promotion before going to see your manager. In most cases, the personnel manager will be able to explain to you when is a good time to ask for a raise at your company overall, as this is the department that is in close contact with the executive leaders of the company and know what’s going on within all departments. The personnel manager is bound by confidentiality to keep your conversation private, so seek advice there first.

Figure out what objectives your manager has for the department or area that you work in and seek to perform well under these expectations. This can be as simple as taking mental notes of what your boss emphasizes at meetings or in conversations with your team. Keep these things in mind and start keeping a written list of all the ways you are helping to meet this objective. This should be a private list that are for your eyes only and it should be documented for at least two to three months before approaching the manager in person with a request for a promotion. Failing to build a solid case for a raise or promotion ahead of time can lead to unsuccessful results.

Once you have built your case, ask for a brief meeting with your manager to discuss an employment related matter. Have your notes in order and all facts and figures worked out on paper before you walk into the manager’s office. Find ways to document how you have been able to help your department or team meet the important objectives for the company. This may include things like how you have increased revenues, developed important relationships with clients, reduced turnover, formed a new strategy that saved the company more money or anything similar. This will demonstrate to the boss that you are in line with department and company goals and are going places within the company.

Present your case to your boss confidently, but humbly. Be prepared to professionally counter any objections without overstepping boundaries. Remember, you need a good reason why the company should pay you more or give you additional responsibilities. It is up to you to provide a good reason other than you need more money or want a fancy job title. The company wants to know what kind of return they can expect for investing in you. Be prepared to compromise some and you may get favorable results in the long run. A “no” is not necessarily bad; use this to get your manager thinking about how you go over and above your job duties and you will be well on your way to getting that raise or promotion you deserve when the time is right.

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