How To Ask For A Raise

If you have been in your job for awhile and you have been doing a good job, you may believe that you deserve more money for it. Many employers simply take their employees for granted and they don't think to give raises as often as they should. If you are known for being a consistent employee who goes above and beyond the call of duty, it isn't unheard of to ask for a raise. Generally speaking, you won't want to ask for a raise if you have been employed for less than nine to 12 months but after that you are in the clear.

A great way to ask for a raise is simply to foster open communication between yourself and your direct supervisor. If you have this open communication from day one you will find that it is a lot easier for you to share your achievements, thus making it more obvious why you want a raise when you ask for one. Of course, this requires forethought so it may be a bit late to foster satisfying communication like this before you ask for your raise.

If you believe that you deserve a raise you can choose to either ask for the raise in person or you can ask for it through a letter or an email. Depending on who you work for, there may be a preferred method of communication and you should go with that. Many individuals find that they do better asking for this sort of thing through email because they can more clearly state their thoughts, but others are more than comfortable doing this in person. Decide for yourself which works better for you and be ready to present your thoughts carefully to your supervisor.

When asking through email or in person for a raise you need to be able to cite why you deserve such a raise without coming right out and bragging about yourself. Simply state that you have been working hard and you believe that you have been going above and beyond the call of duty. When you say this you can then cite instances where you have worked harder than your job description called for, instances when you helped others, and other important issues. You don't have to go into great detail, as this may come across as bragging, but you can highlight areas where you really shine.

Simply stating the facts like this will give your supervisor food for thought, and if possible they will probably give you a raise. You need to stand ready to answer hard questions that relate to opportunity areas, or areas where you could stand to do a little bit better. Everyone has these areas, but it doesn't mean that you don't deserve a raise. Simply put the information out there, letting your place of employment know how valuable you are. The worse thing that can happen is that you will be told that you cannot have a raise at the moment, but you will definitely be put on the radar for future raises. Accept this answer graciously, but remember that you can always ask again in the future.

3 Ways to Get Yourself a Promotion

In a perfect world, our skills would always be appreciated, our potential unleashed, and our career horizons unlimited. But are you stuck in a job you're tired of and can't get promoted to something better? From benefits to vacation time there are a lot of reasons to stay with your current employer. Here are three quick tips that can help you get a promotion before the job is posted:

Work Beyond Your Position: Look for opportunities to work on different projects with different people. Often managers may only think of you in terms of your job description. By showing you have untapped skills, you can quietly let them know you're overqualified for your current job.

This strategy may see you do more work or possibly someone else's work. But think of it as a job interview. If you're good at something new, it will be noticed. Remember, it's always better to say, "I'm glad to help out," than, "That's not my job."

Share Your Knowledge: Do you have off the job interests that might be valuable in the workplace? For instance, your job might involve sales but after hours, you spend a lot of time learning about computers. When you learn something new and interesting from your hobby, share it with your superiors. Just because you have a lower position in the organization doesn't mean that you don't have something to teach those above you.

This can be as simple as leaving an article in someone's mailbox with a note saying, "I thought you might find this interesting." You're sharing information but not telling someone what to do with it. Nowadays no one can keep up with all the information that's in our world. By sharing you can make someone's life easier while promoting yourself.

It's News to Me: If you never talk about career advancement, how would anyone know it's your goal? Use your annual evaluation to ask your supervisor about advancement opportunities. Find out if you're lacking a skill that you'll need to get to the next level.

You're not saying that you hate your current job but rather would like to explore other opportunities. In food terms, it would be like saying, "I always eat the chicken at this restaurant but I think I'd like to try the fish. Do you think I'd like the fish?" In this scenario, you may experience some rejection. But wouldn't you rather experience it now, when you can work on your deficiencies, instead of during an interview?