Tips on How to Ask For a Raise

Professional Personal Assistants are hard working people who significantly add to the productivity of their principal. But PAs face the same challenges as others when asking for a raise. Securing a good performance appraisal assessment creates the right environment for making a request. Here are 8 tips to help you tactfully and confidently ask for the salary increase you deserve.

Do Devise a Plan of Action - Devise a strategy and formulate your plan of action. Do your homework; find out what others in your job role currently earn. List all your skills and demonstrate, with examples, how you have used your skills to make the business more effective and add value.

Do Work Harder - Show that you are worth your salt by volunteering to do extra work, or take on a project. This will portray you as a team player, as opposed to someone who is just interested in what the company can do for them. It will also help you to get a good assessment in your performance appraisal, which could result in a performance bonus (if that’s applicable in your organisation).

Do Request More Than You Expect - There’s no harm in asking for more money than is likely to be awarded, just don’t make it significantly more. Asking for a moderately inflated amount will help you to negotiate effectively when the boss resists. Be considerate if the company is experiencing financial problems. If the answer if no, consider other ways to get the equivalent of a raise, like more time off work.

Do Get The Timing Right - Arrange the meeting for a time when things are less hectic. Avoid Mondays and any other time when you know the boss’s mind will be more preoccupied. Immediately after the boss has had lunch is often a good time.

Don’t Show Irritation - Avoid showing a negative emotional reaction if your boss does not initially agree to your request. Always remember that your boss is already paying you to do the job, so by asking for a raise, you are asking for more money to do the same job. Listen and be polite and patient – your boss has a better awareness of the big picture, so there may be other circumstances in play that are not immediately apparent. Allow your boss the option to “think about it”. If the answer is no, find out what steps you can take to deserve a raise.

Don’t Threaten to Resign - If you threaten to resign your boss may call your bluff. You could also find yourself in a position where your boss's hands are tied, so he has no choice but to let you go through with it.

Don’t Be Hesitant - Be confident when making your request. If you are not confident enough to ask for a raise, it will give your boss the impression that you don’t believe you deserve one. It also looks unprofessional, and could be the determining factor in whether the answer is “yes” or “no”, or even affect the amount you are awarded.

Don’t Compare Yourself With Others - Comparing yourself with others could backfire because your perception of the other person’s work may not line up with your boss's perception. You could also find yourself making confidential disclosures in order to make your point, or speaking negatively about others. A positive attitude will stand you in good stead and signal to the boss that you are emotionally mature – a quality that is necessary for leadership.


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