Negotiate a Raise

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Title: Negotiate a Raise
Author: Jane Lake
Email: editor@allfreecrafts.com
Copyright Jane Lake 2004. All Rights Reserved.
Format: 65 characters per line
Word count: 339

Thanks, Jane Lake

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Negotiate a Raise
by Jane Lake

Asking for a raise is a lot like looking for love. No one
really values anything that comes too cheaply. But while
dating can be fun, confronting authority can be
intimidating. We asked John Towler, of Creative
Organizational Design, a management consulting firm to
outline how to talk money with your boss.

• Know the market value of your job. Check with professional
associations or personnel agencies for up-to-date surveys of
salary levels in your field. Within your own company, swap
information with colleagues, or ask your firm's personnel
department for the salary range in your job category.

• Know your own worth. Compile facts and figures on your
skills, talents, experience and recent accomplishments. Use
performance appraisals as proof of your proficiency. Think
of ways to increase your value to the firm, such as training
others or taking on special assignments.

• Choose the right time to negotiate. If your company
schedules regular salary reviews, be well prepared for your
turn. If it doesn't, take the initiative and request a
review. Ask for an early Monday appointment, when your
boss's desk is clear.

• Convince your boss you're a winner by speaking clearly,
listening carefully and responding calmly. Rehearse your
main points with a friend, and run through responses to what
you guess might be objections to a raise.

• If a raise is denied, ask why. If the boss believes that
you haven't performed well enough, ask what you must do to
merit a raise, the set shared goals and a time frame for
renegotiation. If the company is under financial restraint,
ask for bonuses your boss may give more readily, such as
expanded benefits or extra vacation time.

Copyright Jane Lake 2004. All Rights Reserved.

----Resource Box--------------------------------------------
About the Author: Jane Lake is a successful freelance writer
and editor of the top-ranked craft site,
http://www.allfreecrafts.com, where you will find photos and
full instructions for hundreds of craft projects. She also
edits and produces http://www.allfreeprintables.com, which
features printable recipe cards, chore coupons, school
lists, check lists and paper toys.
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