How to ask for a raise – and why you shouldn’t be afraid to

Let's get that money.

Talking about money, particularly with your boss, can be tough. It's a topic that many employees find stressful but it's also something that's necessary for career progression, and who doesn't want to progress and get paid what we deserve? Whether it's moving up the ladder within your current company or negotiating a higher salary when starting out in a new position, discussing salary in any capacity can be taxing. Obviously, it's important to note, that every job, every employer, and every person is different, so there's no "correct way" to ask for a raise. Circumstances apply in most of these situations and they must be taken into account, it's important to bring your own spin to these conversations and remember that timing and preparation can be crucial factors. To get some professional advice, we caught up with career coach, Angela Burke. With over 11 years of experience working across recruitment and career consulting along with a post-graduate qualification in career development and coaching, Angela brings a wealth of experience to the field and helps people navigate their professional life in practical and meaningful ways. Check out Angela's tips below:

• If you’re asking for a pay rise in your current job, it’s worth being mindful that many others on your team may also be doing the same. When building your case, reflect on why your manager should reward you with a pay rise rather than a colleague.
• It’s all about the facts so put those feelings aside - focus on the job you’re doing equating to a certain salary, not you needing or deserving a pay rise.
• You need to clearly articulate why the salary you’re currently on or the salary you’re being offered is not the right salary for the role in question. How do you do that, you might ask?
• Figure out the price for the role on the market by checking out salary surveys or ask those in your network what you should expect to be earning at your level.
• Prove that the scope of the role is not in line with the current salary/offer.
• Highlight what you bring to the role that is of significant benefit to the organisation - niche skills, experience, results, over performance, etc
• Be mindful of timing - is the team currently under-resourced and therefore talent is sought after. Similarly, has the organisation been trying to find the right person for this role for a long time and therefore more likely to pay for it?
• Delivery is key - take the time to prepare for a confident conversation based on facts and figures!
• If all fails, use this conversation as an opportunity to align on how you can work towards achieving a fair pay rise.

Check out more information on Angela’s online career workshops on theintegrativecoach.ie or @theintegrativecoach on social media.