Get a Raise: How To Ask Your Boss For More Money

• Cubicle - a partially enclosed workspace, separated from neighboring workspaces by partitions, generally five to six feet high. It is partially or entirely open on one side to allow access. Cubicles are satirized in the popular Dilbert comic.
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• CV - acronym for curricula vitae.

How many people do you know who think they deserve a pay rise, but are too scared to ask? You might even be one of those people! Why is it we are afraid to ask for what we believe we are worth? It's time to stop worrying and start asking, but before you charge into your boss's office give yourself the best chance of success with these helpful tips?then book that meeting with the boss.

Do an audit. Make a huge list of all your achievements in your current role. Think about where you add value to your organisation and how you have grown the business. List both demonstrable results such as statistics, sales figures, client testimonials and reports as well as those things that can be a little more difficult to quantify, such as improving staff morale.

Know what you're worth. Find out what similar jobs to yours are paying in the market. Look at the same industry and other industries to determine what your market value is and what type of additional package benefits are on offer for similar roles.

Create your ideal package. Make a list of what you would like to receive in salary, car allowance, employee benefits, superannuation and time off. Look at the total dollar value of the package - don't focus only on the individual components.

Consider the organisational situation. Be aware of how the organisation is performing before you approach your manager. If times are tough, your proposal is less likely to be considered but if the company is performing well your manager might be more open to your request.

Book a time. Make an appointment with your manager and let him or her know that the agenda will be your remuneration package. Try to schedule this appointment for early in the day so your manager is not distracted by competing priorities and you are not spending a nervous day waiting for the appointment time.

Practice. Go over your presentation in your mind and perhaps even with a friend or colleague. Know what it is you want to say and why you believe you deserve this raise.

Objection! List all of your manager's potential objections and consider how you would respond to them.

Be calm and positive. Take a few deep breaths before the meeting and remind yourself of why you deserve this raise and the positive impact it will have on your life. Don't approach your manager timidly or they won't believe you are worth the raise. Believe in yourself and your achievements.

Be aware of body language. Make sure you sit forward in your chair, your shoulders are straight, sit forward in your chair and make eye contact and smile. Try to appear relaxed and comfortable not nervous and fidgety.

Build your case. Before you launch into your presentation about what you want and why you deserve a raise, ask your manager these questions:

How do you feel I have been performing over the past few months?

Do you agree I have added value/sales/benefits to this organisation?

Are you happy with my performance to date?

Your manager's responses to these questions will allow you to understand what his or her opinion of your performance is and help you to position your request in light of their responses.

Be assertive. Use positive assertive, not aggressive, language when you are making your case for why you deserve this increase; don't moan or complain. Talk about the benefits to the company and to you.

Don't blink, don't look away. When you do tell your manager the total package figure you would like to receive, don't blink and don't look away. Hold their gaze and remain calm.

Allow your manager to respond. Remember, you've been thinking about this and putting together your proposal for some time - this is the first your manager has heard about it, give him or her time to respond and process your request. Don't talk while they are responding, let them talk through their thoughts and issues without interruption. Allow yourself to sit in silence if required. Don't try to fill any silence with further explanation or justification.

Be flexible. If appropriate, let your manager know that you are prepared to be flexible in how the raise is provided to you perhaps is can be phased in, include a bonus or one-off payment or involve changing the structure of your current package.

Agree on a response timeframe. If your manger can't give you an answer immediately, agree on a timeframe within which he or she will come back to you with an answer. Around one-week should be an appropriate amount of time.

Neen is a Global Productivity Expert: by looking at how they spend their time and energy - and where they focus their attention - Neen helps people to rocket-charge their productivity and performance. A dynamic speaker, author and corporate trainer, Neen demonstrates how boosting your productivity can help you achieve amazing things. With her unique voice, sense of fun and uncommon common-sense, Neen delivers a powerful lesson in productivity. Find out more at http://neenjames.com/