How to ask for a raise

You work hard and provide value to the organization that impacts the profitability and bottom line, but you feel that you are worth more than your current salary. Below is a proposal template to prove to leadership that you deserve a raise. 

Header:
Include your title/ position, your name, and the company name

State your mission:
Insert a personal mission that aligns with the organization's mission. For example, the Iowa State Bar Association's mission is to "Support members and their service to clients, the community, and the judicial system." My personal mission as Communications Director is "to elevate the legal profession among the public and advocate for Iowa attorneys." 

Accomplishment Highlights:
Include at minimum five bullet points of achievements that you have performed in your role. To give you ideas, here are a couple of my examples: 
1) The Iowa Lawyer magazine received National Association of Bar Executives Luminary Award
2) Developed department guide including standard operating procedures and new team member onboarding

Additional Responsibilities:
If you have taken on more responsibilities since your last raise or since being hired, make  a list here. For example, my department took over managing the Career Center and my role has taken on additional responsibilities for photographing events.

Feedback Highlights:
I keep a folder in my inbox where I store all positive feedback received on my work. This is helpful at times when you must prepare for an annual performance review.  List three quotes from people inside or outside your company commenting on the quality of your work or how they like working with you. List their names and titles. 

Unique to Role:
Include this in your proposal if you bring a specialty or experience that directly applies to your position. For example, here I would list my over 8 years of experience in legal industry and my masters degree. 

Current Market Value:
Look up on salary.com or glassdoor.com or just Google your current title and location salary. Place a range here that is the range in which you want your proposed raise to put your salary in the middle. For example, list your current market value as $75,000 - $95,000 when your desired new salary is around $85,000. Be sure you can back up your 'current market value' with two to three examples that you find in your local searches. 

Proposal:
Spell it out for leadership. For example, 20% salary increase to $85,200. 

Future Vision:
Make a bullet list of upcoming projects within the organization that you would like to add value to. For example, assisting with a website redesign project on the horizon or serving in a leadership role on a future projects. 

Whether you have standing annual performance review meetings or not, I recommend scheduling a time to discuss this proposal with your direct manager when you feel it appropriate. The sooner the better because if it is 'not in the budget this year' then there is time to make sure it is in the budget for next year.

My best recommendation is to say something low key to your manager like, "Hey, can we coordinate a few minutes to talk soon?" and send them a calendar invitation.

While at the meeting, stay confident and just let them know that you would like to walk them through a proposal. Reinstate your passion for the company's mission and related it to your mission that correlates to your current role. 

Have a printed copy to provide to them - ONLY AFTER - you walk them through it verbally. Otherwise, if you print off your proposal and give it to them to follow as you walk through it, their eyes are naturally going to go to the number you are proposing and they are not going to soak in the information you are presenting before making the big ask.

You will never know if you do not ask, so get over the fear of rejection and do something for you - because you deserve it!