Asking for a Pay Increase

You think you should be earning more. Maybe your responsibilities have grown, you’ve discovered similar roles are paying considerably more, or it’s simply been a long time since anybody seriously looked at your salary.

The difficult bit is knowing how to ask for it — what to say, what evidence to use, how much to ask for and what to do if the answer isn’t an immediate yes.

This practical guide walks you through the whole conversation.

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Asking for more money shouldn’t feel this difficult

Most people don’t have many conversations about their salary during their career. Your manager may have them all the time.

And while you’re thinking about what you earn, they’re potentially thinking about salary bands, budgets, internal comparisons, HR approval and whether they can justify an increase to somebody above them.

That’s why simply explaining that you work hard isn’t always enough.

You need to understand what makes a pay increase easier for somebody inside the organisation to approve.

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What you’ll learn

By the end of the guide, you’ll know how to:

• Build a proper case for a pay increase rather than relying on how hard you work or how long you’ve been there.
• Work out what to ask for using evidence rather than guessing.
• Choose the evidence that actually matters when talking about your contribution.
• Start the conversation naturally without turning it into an ultimatum.
• Give your manager a case they can repeat when you’re not in the room.
• Respond to “there’s no budget” and work out what that answer really means.
• Handle a lower counteroffer without making a decision on the spot.
• Recognise when “not yet” is becoming an endless delay.

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More than generic salary negotiation advice

There’s plenty of advice online telling you to research the market, list your achievements and confidently ask for what you deserve.

Real salary decisions tend to be messier.

Your manager might completely agree that you deserve more and still need somebody else’s approval. There might genuinely be no budget. You might have a strong case but be asking for an unrealistic amount. And sometimes your employer could pay you more and simply isn’t going to.

The useful bit is understanding which situation you’re actually dealing with and what to do about it.

Inside the guide you’ll find practical conversation scripts, a Pay Increase Preparation Page, examples of the evidence worth using and guidance for handling the different answers your employer might give you.

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Written by Lee Harding

I’ve spent 20+ years working in recruitment, Talent Acquisition and leadership, including senior and Director-level roles.

I’ve hired people, managed teams and worked closely with hiring managers and senior leaders. I’ve also been involved in the kinds of pay, hiring and workplace decisions employees don’t normally get to see.

My advice is based on understanding what actually happens when these decisions are being made on the other side of the table.

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Go into the conversation prepared

Don’t go in hoping your manager happens to agree that you deserve more.

Go in knowing what you’re asking for, why you’re asking for it and what you’ll do depending on the answer

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This is one of 15 practical guides covering the career problems most of us eventually run into — from pay rises and promotions to difficult managers, career changes, redundancy and starting a new job.

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