How do I ask my manager for a pay rise?
Ask for a specific number, justify it with the scope you carry now compared with when your salary was set, and ask for a decision by a date. Vague asks get vague answers, and personal need is the weakest argument in the room. Say the number, give the evidence, then stop talking.
Short answer
- 1Write down what your role covers now versus when your pay was set.
- 2Check the market rate for the same job, same region, this year.
- 3Ask for a dedicated meeting, and open with your number.
- 4Agree a decision date before you leave the room.
“I would like to move my salary to the figure I have set out. I have taken on the reporting line and two new accounts since we last reviewed it. Can we get to a decision before the end of the month?”
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How to prepare
Most pay conversations are won before they start. The work is gathering evidence you can state in two sentences.
- Write down what your role covers now versus when your salary was set.
- Check two or three market figures for the same job title, same region, this year. Bring a range, not a rumour.
- Pick your number, and know your walk-away position before you go in.
- Ask for the meeting in advance so it is not squeezed onto the end of a one to one.
- Find out when budgets are actually set, so you are asking at the right point in the cycle.
What to say
Lead with the number. Then the evidence. Then the deadline. Do not open with an apology, and do not present it as a question about whether you deserve it. You are opening a negotiation, not asking for a favour.
How they might respond
“There is no budget.”
Ask when the budget is set, and what you would need to have shown by then. Get the next date rather than a soft no.
“Let me look into it.”
Agree a specific date before you leave, and confirm it by email. Without a date it drifts.
“Offers less than you asked for.”
Ask what would close the gap, and whether it can be reviewed in six months. Do not accept and negotiate later.
“Others are on the same as you.”
Bring it back to scope. What you do now is not what the role was when the salary was set.
Common mistakes
- Justifying it with rent, bills or personal circumstances.
- Making a threat you are not prepared to follow through.
- Accepting a promise with no date attached.
- Talking past the number. Say it, then stop.
- Asking two weeks after the budget for the year has been signed off.
Other ways to say it
- “I would like to talk about pay. Here is my number, and here is the reasoning.”
- “If the budget is not there now, what would need to be true in six months for it to be?”
- “I am happy to write this up so you can take it forward. When do you need it by?”
Common questions
How much should I ask for?
Anchor on evidence rather than a percentage. Find two or three current figures for the same job title in your region, and pitch at the upper part of that range if your scope has grown. Ask for a specific number rather than a band.
Should I ask for a pay rise by email?
Ask for the meeting by email, then make the case in person where you can respond to the pushback. Send a short written summary afterwards, because that is what your manager forwards to whoever signs it off.
When is the best time to ask?
Shortly after a visible win, and before budgets are set rather than after. Find out when your organisation decides pay, and work backwards from that date rather than waiting for your review.
What if they say no?
Do not treat it as final. Ask what would need to change, what number would be possible, and when it can be revisited. Leave with a date and a condition, then follow up in writing.
Should I mention another job offer?
Only if it is real and you are prepared to take it. Using an offer as leverage can work once, but it changes how you are seen, and a bluff that gets called leaves you with no position at all.
When to get proper support
If you suspect you are paid less for reasons connected to sex, race, disability or another protected characteristic, that is an equal pay matter rather than a negotiation. In the UK, Gov.uk explains equal pay rights under the Equality Act 2010 and Acas can advise. In the US, the EEOC handles pay discrimination complaints. Speak to HR or your union rather than negotiating it alone.
Sources
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