Compensation
Ask for a raise with your case in hand
A well-timed conversation to ask for more money, framed in terms your company can say yes to
Before your company's pay decisions, ask your manager for a raise: say what has changed in your work and what similar work pays, name a number, then stop talking.
- About 20 minutes
- You and your manager
- Before pay decisions
- Conversation
Why this can work
A raise request lands best when it arrives before the decisions are made, rests on what's changed in your work, and ends with one clear number. A specific figure, backed by what similar work pays, gives your manager something concrete to say yes to or negotiate from, rather than a feeling to respond to.
Read moreHow to ask for a raise
You’ll come away with a clear ask on the table, and a date to hear back.
- Time it before the decisions.
Aim for a few weeks before recommendations are made for the next pay cycle. If you don't know when that is, ask. If you had a raise in the last few months, wait unless your job has genuinely changed since.
- Book the time and send your case ahead.
A short note before the meeting means your manager isn't hearing it cold, and has time to think about what they'll need.
To: your managerI'd like to talk about my pay when we meet. So you're not hearing it cold, here's what I'd like to cover.
Over the past time period, my work has changed: what you now do or delivered. It's meant what it changed for the team or company.
From what I've found, similar roles pay around range. I'd like to talk about moving my salary to your number.
I'd welcome your read before we sit down, including anything you think I'm missing.
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud. - Lead with what's changed.
Start with your work, not your wants. Two or three changes, each with what it did for the team. For example: since the spring you've been the go-to person for pricing questions from sales, and quotes now go out in a day instead of a week.
Tip: Numbers help: time saved, money saved, a deadline met. If you don't have them, a specific before and after works too.
- Name your number, then stop.
Say the figure plainly, grounded in the range you found and a little above what you'd settle for. Then stop talking.
- Ask what happens next.
A yes in the room is rare, and that's normal. Leave knowing who decides and when you'll hear.
You“What happens from here, and when should I expect to hear back?”
Good times to repeat it: a few weeks before your company's pay decisionswhen your role has clearly grownonce a year at most
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
Know what you'd accept, and what you'd do if the answer is no. You don't have to say it out loud; knowing it keeps you steady.
What might make this harder
Ask whether that's this cycle or overall, and what would need to change. It may also be worth asking about things beyond salary, like scope, a title or a set date to revisit.
Questions people ask
How do I ask for a raise?
Pick a time a few weeks before pay decisions are made, send a short note ahead, then say what has changed in your work, what similar roles pay, and the number you're asking for. Then stop and listen.
How much should I ask for in a raise?
Base it on what similar work pays and on how your role has changed, and ask a little above what you'd settle for. A specific number tends to work better than a vague request for more.
What should I avoid saying when asking for a raise?
Try not to lead with personal costs or comparisons to named colleagues. Talk about your work, what it did for the team, and the market for your role.
Should I ask for a raise in person or by email?
Usually both: a short note beforehand so your manager isn't caught off guard, and the conversation itself in person or on a call. The note gives them something to share if they need to.
Why this works, and where it comes from
A raise request is a pitch, and the person you're pitching often isn't the final buyer. Your manager may have to carry your case to someone else, in a room you won't be in. They'll have a budget, other people asking, and a boss who wants to know why you and why now. The most useful thing you can do for your own ask is to make it easy to repeat, in terms of what the company gets: more scope covered, better results, someone it would be costly to replace.
That's why the order matters. What's changed in your work comes first, because it answers why you. What similar roles pay comes second, because it answers why this much. The number comes last, said once, clearly, and then left alone. Silence after a number feels unbearable to a lot of people, and the urge to fill it with a softer figure is strong. Your manager needs a moment to think, and that moment is theirs.
Timing does more than wording. A strong case made the week after budgets are locked is still a strong case, but there's no money left to move. A few weeks before recommendations, the same case can change a number.
There are times to ask for something else. If your company is in a hiring freeze or has just announced layoffs, a salary request can land as out of touch however good the case. A good case keeps, and it will land better once the room has changed.
Other simple things to consider
What to do next
More in Compensation
A few minutes that compound
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.