How to ask your employer for a raise

Whether you need the pay bump to help pay down debt or you just want to advance your career, don't settle for less.

And if you’ve been plugging away productively through the pandemic, you may be able to leverage the current worker shortage to your advantage by negotiating a pay raise.

Follow these seven simple steps to walk into a meeting with your boss confident and come out with the salary boost you deserve.

1. Look put together

Whether you’re working in e-commerce or warehousing, retail or the restaurant industry, there’s an increasing need for workers, according to stats on job postings from ZipRecuiter.

UberEats made the top of ZipRecruiter's list with over 300,000 jobs posted on the site last month. E-commerce behemoth Amazon was near the top with over 250,000 jobs posted in April.

If you already have a job, this could be the perfect time to show your boss just how valuable you are to the company.

An overwhelming majority of managers (80%) say what you wear has an impact on whether or not you’ll get a raise, according to a survey for recruitment company Robert Half.

Make sure you look like a professional who respects the workplace and deserves to be paid more. This could be an excuse to do some clothes shopping, but it's for a very good cause.

2. Don't focus on how long you’ve worked there

Starting the negotiation by boasting about your seniority can be counterproductive, so focus on your accomplishments instead.

Do you have a diverse set of transferable skills? How much does the company stand to lose if they had to replace you?

Did you go back to school to refine your skillset? That may account for why you need a raise, too. If your student loans are eating up too much of your monthly budget, you may want to consider refinancing your loan to free up a few hundred dollars in your monthly budget.

3. Point out real accomplishments

When talking to your boss, show your value to the company by drawing on concrete examples.

These can be situations like any great newcomers you helped recruit, the times you've taken the lead on projects or work initiatives or times where you helped save the company money.

Demonstrating your long-term commitment (and results) will help tip the scales in your favor.

4. Do some research on average salaries and benefits

You may feel you’re not being paid what you’re worth, but you need to make certain the market agrees with you.

Resources such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn and the Bureau of Labor Statistics can provide valuable information on average salaries for your position, and you can use that data to back up your request for a pay raise.

Don’t be shy to ask around about what your peers receive in perks like health or life insurance or 401(k)s either.

5. Ask for a performance review

A performance review is a chance for you and your boss to sit down and assess your accomplishments, and for you to demonstrate how you’ve exceeded expectations.

Make sure your boss knows you want to talk about the value you add to the company.

Walking in prepared for your performance review with those concrete examples of how you’ve helped the company succeed will show your boss you’re serious about your request.

6. Practice your pitch

Even if you have the data on your side and can demonstrate a long list of accomplishments, asking for a raise can be an intimidating experience. That’s why you’ll want to practice your sales pitch ahead of time.

You can even ask a trusted friend or family member to help you rehearse.

Have your friend play your boss and give you push-back when you start making your request. Brainstorm any objections the boss might have and prepare your answers. All this will make your pitch even stronger.

7. Keep it professional

Whatever you do, avoid getting personal while talking to your boss. While some supervisors will have no objection to you asking for a raise, others may see the request as an affront.