A lesser-known benefit of asking for a raise:
When you get outside your comfort zone and ask for a raise, you raise your profile.
In your leader’s eyes, and in your own eyes. When you ask for more than what your leader or manager has offered, this positions you automatically as someone who goes for what she wants. Someone who WILL take the risk that she might not get it, at least not right then. Someone who will also more than likely do the same for your organization.
I was recently interviewed by women.com and shared my top 5 tips for asking for a raise, and 3 things to avoid doing. I also shared a brief story about a client who successfully negotiated a more than 20% increase, in part by recruiting an ally for her cause. Click on the women dot com logo to check out the full article here:
My client was initially offered far less when she asked for a raise to a specific amount. She stuck with her number and ended up with more than a 20% salary increase. The added benefit: Her leader told her he appreciated how prepared she was for the conversation, and noted that she was being a great advocate for herself.
Boom! Profile raised.
The benefit of raising your profile can far out-weigh and even outlast any increase in salary, position, benefits or responsibility. Asking for a raise or promotion positions you as someone to take seriously. Someone who takes her work and her value seriously.
You can take the other road, keep your head down and focus on delivering great work, and hope they notice and reward your efforts, without your having to ask for it. But let me ask you:
How’s that working for you?
Here’s some math: Over the course of your career, you could be leaving behind $1,500,000 by not asking. That’s a lot of zeros. A lot of shoes — a lot of family vacations– a lot more time in good health.
If you aren’t asking for more because you are nervous, afraid or unsure of what to say, this only means that asking for a raise is not familiar to you. Get some help from someone who can help you figure it out, help you practice and rehearse the conversation. Work with a coach or advisor, or a peer who has done it successfully. Join a community where others are practicing these new skills too.
Then buckle up buttercup! Grab a bit of courage and go ahead and ask!
