How to Ask for a Raise: A Calm, Prepared Approach That Works

Step 2: Research what your work is worth

Going in without a reference point makes your request feel like a guess. On the show, negotiation authors Attia Qureshi and John Richardson called these outside reference points objective criteria: external benchmarks you can find and bring to the table. Hear that exchange.

Look at:

• Salary data sites and posted ranges for your role, level and location
• What similar roles are advertising at comparable companies
• Conversations with trusted peers, mentors or recruiters in your field

Settle on a specific number or a narrow range. “I’d like a raise” is easy to defer. A researched figure is something your manager can act on.

Step 3: Build your case around results

Write down what you’ve delivered since your last pay change. Be concrete:

• Projects you led or rescued
• Revenue, savings or time you contributed to
• New responsibilities you’ve taken on
• Feedback from clients, colleagues or leaders

Frame these in terms of what they meant for your team and the business, not how hard you worked. Effort is admirable. Results are what justify a raise.

Step 4: Get agreement on your performance first

This is the step most people skip, and it’s the heart of the advice in episode #778. Before you talk about money, AJ and Johnny said, you need both sides to agree that your performance warrants the conversation. If you don’t agree on that, there’s no raise to discuss yet.

So start by summarizing your results, then ask a confirming question:

“Over the last year I’ve led X, delivered Y and taken on Z. Would you agree that’s been a strong contribution?”

If your manager says yes, you’re negotiating from shared ground. If they hesitate or disagree, you’ve learned something important. Ask what they’d need to see, and agree on a plan and timeline to revisit pay.

Step 5: Make a clear, specific request

Once you’ve agreed on your contribution, say what you’re asking for. Keep it simple:

“Based on that, and on what I’m seeing for similar roles, I’d like to discuss moving my salary to X. What would it take to make that happen?”

Then pause. Let your manager respond. Resist the urge to fill the silence with justifications.

If a new offer is the real situation, our guide to salary negotiation covers it, and the salary negotiation script gives you the words.

Conversations about pay and promotion often have a second layer the other person never says out loud. The Access Test is a 49-minute training on 13 of those hidden tests and how to answer what’s actually being asked. Take the Access Test.

Step 6: Prepare for objections

In the episode, the hosts suggested writing out every objection your manager might raise, then thinking about each one from their side of the table. Common ones include:

• “We don’t have the budget right now.”
• “Performance has been slipping.”
• “Let’s wait until review season.”
• “Nobody at your level is paid that.”

For each, prepare a calm response. If budget is the issue, ask about a timeline or other levers, such as title, bonus, development budget or a scheduled review. If there’s a performance concern, ask for specifics and agree on what improvement would look like.

Some objections will be fair. When they are, say so. Conceding a reasonable point shows you’re working toward an outcome that suits both sides.

Then rehearse. Give a friend your list of objections and practice out loud. You’ll be calmer in the room, and calm reads as confidence.

Know your plan B, and don’t bluff

Your BATNA, or best alternative to a negotiated agreement, is the fallback plan you’d follow if this conversation doesn’t get you what you want. It might be a competing offer, an internal move or a plan to reassess in six months.

Knowing your BATNA keeps you steady. Threatening to quit is different. The hosts’ point was that an ultimatum isn’t a negotiation and isn’t a plan. If you say you’ll leave, be prepared to leave, because the other person may call it.

What to do after the conversation

Whatever happens, follow up in writing with a short summary: what you discussed, what was agreed and any next steps or dates.

If the answer is yes, thank your manager and confirm when it takes effect.

If the answer is “not now,” get specific goals and a date to revisit, and keep a record of your progress toward them.

If the answer is no, with no path forward, that’s useful information too. It may be time to look at your options.

Common questions

How do I ask for a raise professionally?

Request a short meeting, bring researched figures and concrete results, agree on your contribution first, then make a specific request. Keep the tone collaborative and avoid ultimatums.

Should I ask for a raise by email?

Use email to request the meeting and to confirm what you agreed. Have the conversation itself face to face or on video so you can read and respond to your manager’s reactions.

How much should I ask for?

Base it on market data for your role, level and location, plus how much your responsibilities have grown. A specific, researched number is more persuasive than a vague request.

What if my boss says there’s no budget?

Ask when budget decisions are made and what would need to be true for a raise then. Explore other options such as title, bonus, development budget or a scheduled review.

How do I ask for a raise when I’m underpaid?

Lead with the external benchmarks. Show the gap between your pay and the market for your role, alongside your results, and ask what it would take to close it.

Asking well is a skill

Asking for a raise is one conversation, but the skills underneath it, including reading the room, choosing the moment and making your value clear, show up everywhere in your career.

If you keep doing excellent work and still watch the raise, the promotion or the credit go to someone else, it’s worth looking at how your contribution is being read.