Believe in yourself
According to Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and author of Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, women are generally not as assertive as men when it comes to negotiating their worth. And we’re missing out as a result. So even before you walk through the door to negotiate a pay rise, you need to be confident in your market worth, abilities and place within your organisation. You need to believe you deserve a pay rise so your boss will too.
STEP 3
Know your market worth
At EST10, we believe it’s crucial to keep up to date with the latest industry trends and salary ranges. That’s why we launched our EST10 Salary Guide, to make sure you know what your role is worth in the market and how you compare. Before negotiating a pay rise, do your research and know your market worth based on your experience. Talk to your recruitment consultant, keep your eye on the job ads and make sure you have this information at your fingertips when negotiating.
STEP 4
Review your job description vs actual role
The next step is to review your job description vs your actual role to see if it’s evolved since your last pay rise. This is where you can argue most strongly that a pay rise is well deserved. If you’ve taken on more projects and responsibilities, your case for a rise will be stronger. And if you can demonstrate how you’ve made your boss’s life more efficient by taking on projects to free up his or her time, all the better.
STEP 5
Focus on the team
In her book, Sandberg also argues that you have a better chance of success if you can demonstrate your value not only to your boss, but also to your wider team. This is because your boss will appreciate that great teams are more successful than individuals, and teams that work together outperform those that don’t. Create a list of all the ways your work positively impacts your wider team, how this has increased since your last pay rise and specific achievements.
STEP 6
Take the initiative
So you’re ready to start negotiations. Summarise your request in an email and then ask for a meeting with your boss. He or she then has time to prepare and you’re more likely to achieve the outcome you want. Also as any good negotiator knows, having a good understanding of the other side leads to a better result. Make sure you’ve drawn up a list of all the reasons why you might not get a rise so you can be ready to counter any challenges.
STEP 7
Write everything down
And finally, go into the meeting with your case for a pay rise written out in front of you. Why? Because it’s hard to detract emotion from the negotiation process. This way you know you’ll get all your points across, you’ll appear organised and professional, and you’ll feel like you did your best when you leave.
If for whatever reason you’re not successful, take some time to reflect on your feedback. And bear in mind that money isn’t everything. If you have a boss you respect, an organisation you love and a team you admire then you will be rewarded down the track.
Have you had to negotiate a pay rise recently? Share your experiences with us below.
Call us for a confidential chat about your salary expectations or download our Salary Guide today to find out how much you’re worth.
