Entering the workforce is like being a child; many of us are young, naïve and unknowing to the ways of the world. Some organizations like to take advantage of this fact and pinch new employees in terms of wages. Others have to penny-pinch in order to stay afloat. As such, it is important to build your knowledge not only in your own field but also in how your organization handles human resource issues such as compensation. This way you can be fully prepared when the time comes to ask for a raise.

In order to get a better understanding of how to negotiate a raise I spoke with Marla Chandler-Soanes, manager of community initiatives for the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, as well as Michael Howard, resume writer.

Preparation: Have your ducks in a row BEFORE you ask for a raise

The first step to take when asking for a raise is to get prepared and there are two main approaches: you can either demonstrate your value to your employer or show how your skills and experience fit in the market.

Chandler-Soanes discusses the first. “I would suggest having a very concrete example of your past work experience and be specific in how you name it; even putting a dollar value to it. The more specific you are the better.” The key to this approach is describing your value to the organization in as thorough and measurable a manner as possible.

Howard believes that it is always important to keep a record of the impact you have on the organization. “Keep track of how your results compared to the goals that your supervisor set for you, improvements you made to the systems or processes in your organization, partnerships you developed, contributions you made to the team, etc…” Not only will this assist with your current negotiations, it can also help in updating your resume.

You can also take the approach of stating that, based on industry standards, the salary for your position is not on par. Howard adds, “This may be effective if you can factually prove that people in similar positions are paid higher with other organizations. However this is a much trickier approach because instead of focusing on proving your worth, you’re essentially telling your employer that they are paying their employees less than their competitors, which they may take offense to.” It is important to remember to show proof using salary studies or job ads. Documentation and examples are crucial when preparing for a raise negotiation.

Discussion: You’re not the only person in the room

Once you have sufficiently prepared, schedule a time to discuss the raise with your supervisor. Chandler-Soanes suggests, “If it is a casual work environment, you can make it a little more relaxed but if it tends to be more formal, you probably want to set a meeting.” In terms of how to run the meeting, get to the point directly. “I would just come right out and say to the supervisor these are some of the things I’m bringing forward to the organization,” says Chandler-Soanes. “I’ve been here for however long and I would like to ask for a raise. It’s important that you ask for it out-right and then state the reasons that you are deserving of the raise.”

Howard feels a professional manner is the best approach. “It’s best to treat the request in the same formal manner as a performance evaluation. Ask your supervisor for a time to sit down and discuss your performance. Come prepared with documents, statistics, and reports; whatever demonstrates or proves the positive impact you have had on the organization.”

Once you’ve started the negotiation process, stick with what you have prepared. It is imperative to bring up your assets and be as specific as possible. “My point of view is that you should always be as concise and direct as you can because employers can’t read minds. Sometimes not giving a raise isn’t because they don’t think you deserve it, it could just be because payroll is the last thing they are thinking of,” says Chandler-Soanes.

Howard advises sticking with the examples you created previous to the meeting. “Try to dollarize these achievements. If you personally saved the organization $100,000, you can make the argument that you should be entitled to some percentage of those savings in the form of a wage increase. Employers won’t usually give a pay raise just because you want one, but may if you prove to them that you deserve it.”

Once you have outlined why you deserve a raise, remember that there is another party at this meeting. Sometimes you may get what you feel you deserve, while other times the employer may not or cannot oblige with your request. If an employer states that they would like to help but the money just is not available, Chandler-Soanes believes in trying to create alternatives. “An employer could do other things, such as flex time, half day off on Fridays, etc…These are ways to create a positive win-win if money can’t be increased.”

However, all employers are not going to give you the results you desire and, as an employee you should be prepared for that. “If you’ve provided concrete examples as to why you feel you deserve a raise, the employer should give you the respect to tell you why you aren’t getting a raise,” says Chandler-Soanes. Remember that you do not want to create poor relations so be tactful when asking why. Chandler-Soanes also believes that it is important to have a follow-up plan prepared. “Have a timeline in place to discuss your upcoming work and ask if a raise can be revisited in the future. If you keep setting a plan, then the employer knows that you want to stay there, but you are willing to move on if not.”

Points to remember: It’s not always about you

When going through the negotiating process there are a number of things to remember. First and foremost, don’t give any type of ultimatum. As Howard states, “Any sort of threatening or blackmail is a definite don’t in the negotiations. It will just pain relations and isn’t a professional tactic. If you really feel that you won’t stay with the organization unless you get a raise, make your most informed and articulate debate for the wage increase and then, if you don’t get it, move forward with your decision.”

It’s important to remember that timing is everything. Try to look at the organization’s bigger picture, such as the financial flow, and how they handle topics such as bonuses and cost of living increases. Ensure that when you do decide to ask for a raise you are doing it at a good time. As Chandler-Soanes states, “Follow up after a time that you’ve done something fantastic for the organization or around a yearly performance review.”

She also suggests that employees should be aware of their tenure with the organization when negotiating. “I would probably say you should be with a organization a minimum of 1 year before asking for a raise. This gives the employer enough time to see what you can do and if the employer likes what you are doing they are likely going to try to find a way to keep you around.”

Final thoughts: Attitude is everything

When negotiating a raise, your attitude is also significant. Know your worth and believe in what you want to accomplish. The approach should be similar to how you perform your job, except instead of being confident in how you portray your knowledge of the organization, you should be confident in what makes you a great employee. As Chandler-Soanes states, “Employers will probably be more likely to give a raise to someone who is working hard, can show them, and can almost remind them of the things that they can do.”

However, at the end of the day, work is about job satisfaction. “Often times, especially in the nonprofit world, with the way that the contracts are negotiated it never seems to be as much money as someone would make in the private sector. It’s looking at the work you are doing and the enjoyment that you are getting out of it as opposed to if you made five more dollars an hour in the corporate world,” says Chandler-Soanes.

Job satisfaction carries a happiness factor, an intangible that can only be measured by an individual employee. For some that may mean the sticking to the bottom line, while for others, it is about being truly content in a position, regardless of the wage.

Karl Noseworthy is a freelance writer from Newfoundland who currently resides in Kitchener, Ontario. He can be reached at karlnoseworthy@hotmail.com.