Ladies, it’s time to ask for a raise!

Ladies, I have bad news for us all – it’s partially our fault that we make less money than men. We don’t ask for salary raises, we don’t negotiate our salary and we hesitate when it comes to asking for more money! I’ve seen it happen over and over again (and yes, I’m guilty of it as well). When you look at articles and research like that of Fox Business, it’s no wonder that we’re making less. The time has come for you to ask for a raise – and get it!

Here are four easy steps to successfully ask for a raise:

Go prepared – make a list of your accomplishments

Ask yourself: why do I deserve a raise? Maybe you’ve been working very hard, putting in extra hours or you finished a challenging project successfully. Consider how you have improved since you first started the job and highlight how this compares to your peers (don’t name any names or speak negatively about them). Don’t take the list with you to meet with your boss, just try to remember what you wrote.

Decide what amount you will be asking for

It’s hard to evaluate just how much more you deserve to be paid. Consider discreetly asking your peers how much they are earning, whether they asked for raises in the past, and by how much their salary was raised. You can also try to compare to employees in the field but in other companies, if you have the information available to you. If you’re unsure of what your peers make, ask for a 15-20% raise, but be willing to have a number that is open to negotiation.

Source: LolzOnline

Set up an appointment to talk to your boss

It’s now or never. How many times do we push off something that makes us nervous? The time has come to act on it and get what you legitimately deserve. Show your boss how serious you are about wanting to discuss a raise, and treat it as a business meeting. Set up a time to meet with him or her; don’t mention the raise by email, when passing by or by telephone. If the option is available to sit with your boss one on one, it’s your best bet.

Present your case

You know what you deserve, so now is your chance to prove it to your boss. They may agree with everything you have to say and give you the raise. For all you know, it could be that short & pleasant a meeting! You may have to convince them by letting them know of all your accomplishments (from step #1 above). At a worst case scenario, they may refuse to give you a raise or cannot afford to do so.  Listen to the explanation to understand whether you need to improve on certain roles and responsibilities, or if there’s another problem at hand.  Be polite and professional and take time to ponder the conversation later, so you can decide what steps to take.

Go get your salary raise, ladies!