Ask for it.
As you can see, asking for it is both a do and a don’t. The reason for this is that there are a lot of effective ways to make your request, and lots of ineffective ones, too. Here’s the flip side of the above—some things to avoid:
- Tagging your request onto another conversation—catching your boss off-guard won’t endear you to him or her.
- Making the request based on promotions/raises received by others at your level; i.e., “I know Bob just got X and I was wondering if I could, too.”
- Not having a specific number/title in mind. If you don’t know what you want, you could lowball yourself in the pressure of the moment.
- Finally, failing to recognize that no is just information can keep you from thinking strategically, and strategy is crucial to negotiation. Given this—should “no” be the first reaction you get—I strongly recommend asking if your terms can be revisited in another one hundred days.
Frances Jones is the author of How to Wow: Proven Strategies for Presenting Your Ideas, Persuading Your Audience, and Perfecting Your Image. How to Wow: The Book.
