How to Ask for a Raise

For a lot of people, asking for a raise feels almost physically impossible. If you grew up being told to keep your head down, be grateful for what you have, and not make a fuss, walking into your boss's office to ask for more money can feel terrifying, even rude. So let's say the most important thing first: asking is normal. Employers expect it. It is part of how working actually works, and getting good at it can be worth more over a career than almost any other money skill. (If the problem is pay you've already earned going missing, that's not a raise conversation; see Getting Paid What You're Owed.)

Asking for a raise is not greedy. You're asking to be paid fairly for work you're already doing. The worst realistic outcome is a 'not right now,' which is just information you can use.

A raise conversation goes a lot better when you walk in with evidence instead of just a feeling. Your job before the conversation is to gather it.

1. 1Write down your wins. List specific things you've accomplished — projects you finished, problems you solved, goals you hit. Use real numbers wherever you can.
2. 2Note what's grown. Have you taken on responsibilities beyond what you were originally hired for? Are you training others, covering more, owning something new? That's a stronger case than time served alone.
3. 3Find a rough market rate. Look up what people in your role, your area, and your level of experience typically earn, using public salary sites or people you trust in the field. You want a realistic range, not a dream number.
4. 4Decide your ask. Settle on a specific figure or range that's grounded in your value and that market rate, so the conversation isn't vague.

When you ask matters almost as much as how. Good moments tend to be after a clear win, during a scheduled performance review, when you've just taken on more, or when the company is doing well. Tougher moments: right after the business has had a bad stretch, during layoffs, or when your manager is visibly underwater. You can't always control the timing, but a little patience for a good window helps.

You don't need a dramatic speech. A short, steady, specific ask lands better than a nervous ramble. Something like:

"Thanks for making time. Over the past year I've taken on [specific responsibilities] and delivered [specific results]. Based on that and on what's typical for this role, I'd like to talk about adjusting my pay to [your number or range]. Can we make that work?"

Then comes the hard part: stop talking and let them respond. Silence feels uncomfortable, but it's not your job to fill it. Stay calm, stay friendly, and let them think.

You won't always get a yes. But you almost never get one you didn't ask for, and the asking gets less scary each time you do it. Prepare, stay calm, and treat it as the normal conversation it actually is.