Nov, 2020

4 Ways to Ask for a Raise When You’re Underpaid

4 Ways to Ask for a Raise When Youre UnderpaidMoney may not be the only motivating factor for people who are making a living, but let’s admit it. It still plays a significant role in one’s job satisfaction. Of course, we want to make sure we’re getting paid fairly for the services we render, or even more. We want to be comfortable with how much we make to make sure our needs and wants are covered.

 

But what if you’re not being paid fairly? What if you think you deserve more? Do you proactively ask for a raise or resort to wait until your boss initiates the conversation? Asking for a raise is definitely one of the most challenging conversations any employee could have with their superior. But if you think it isn’t fair that you’re getting less for the job that you do, it isn’t right to stay silent forever. Here are some tips you might want to use to ask for a raise when you’re underpaid.

Take time to understand what’s going on in your company
There’s no one in your company who will inform you that you deserve to be paid more. Find out if it’s indeed time to push for a raise by taking the time to observe and understand what’s going on around the organization as well as your industry. Are there recent changes or restructuring within the company? Is the business scaling up or are you currently struggling with sales? How about your role? Has your responsibility grown in the last couple of months? Do you think you’re working under a lower than market rate?

Identify your reasons for asking
We all want to earn more money. We all want to get a raise. But a raise is something we can’t ask without valid supporting reasons.

Think about the valid points you have for why you deserve a raise. Maybe you’re taking more tasks than you should in the past year. Or your boss has added a couple of responsibilities when they’re already beyond your job description. Or you haven’t had a pay increase in at least one year.

Research your market value
To support your request for a raise, you may also need to do research on your market value. Check pay scales of employees doing a similar job to find out whether or not you’re underpaid. Visit different salary websites for comparison of rates.

Create a list of your talking points
Before walking into your boss’ office for a conversation about pay raise, make sure you have all your talking points ready. The last thing you want is to arrange a meeting and not knowing how to support why you should be getting a raise. Write them down if you must. Create a list of the reasons why you should be getting a raise and data to back them up. Mention how you add value to your team and company as a whole. Mention your accomplishments and cite scenarios when you went above and beyond for the call of duty.

Asking for a raise is one of the most challenging conversations to initiate. But with the right strategies and approach, you can get more than what you’re currently paid for especially when you know you deserve more.

Read 1159 times
Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.