Compensation
Ask what a raise would take
A forward-looking conversation to turn a vague hope for a raise into a clear target you and your manager share
Ask your manager what would need to be true for a raise, by when, and who decides, then write down the answer and repeat it back.
- About 15 minutes
- You and your manager
- Once a year
- Conversation
Why this can work
A raise is much easier to earn when you both know what it would take. Waiting to be noticed leaves your manager guessing, and a busy manager may not realize pay is on your mind at all. Asking plainly, well before decisions are made, turns an unspoken hope into a target you can both see.
Read moreHow to ask what it takes to get a raise
You’ll come away with a written target for your next raise, agreed with your manager.
- Pick your moment, well before decisions are made.
A regular 1:1 is ideal. Your review is often too late, since pay may already be settled by then. Give a heads-up so it doesn't feel like an ambush.
You“In our next 1:1 I'd like to talk about how I can grow here, including pay. No need to have answers ready. I mostly want to understand.” - Ask the question.
Keep it about the future and about what the company values, not about what you think you deserve.
You“I'd love to understand what my performance would need to look like for the company to be excited about paying me more.” - Get three specifics.
What would need to be true, by when, and who else has a say. Vague answers are normal at first; gently ask for one concrete example.
You“What would you need to see from me, by when, and who else has a say in the decision?” - Repeat it back in your own words.
Say what you heard and ask if you've got it right. It catches misunderstandings while you're both still in the room, and it shows your manager you took the answer seriously.
Tip: If they need time to think, agree when you'll pick it up again.
- Send it in writing the same day.
A short note gives you both one version to point to, months from now, when the decision is actually made.
To: your managerThanks for talking this through today. Here's what I took away, so we're working from the same picture.
For a raise, you'd want to see what needs to be true by when. Who decides makes the final call.
I'll check in on how I'm tracking in a month or two. If I've got any of this wrong, tell me now.
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud.
Good times to repeat it: soon after your reviewwhen you get a new manager or rolea few months before raise decisions
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
Many managers recommend and someone else approves. Knowing who else has a say tells you whose priorities your work needs to reach.
What might make this harder
That's honest, and common when budgets are set above them. Ask who would know, and whether they'd be willing to find out.
Questions people ask
How do I ask my manager what it takes to get a raise?
In a regular 1:1, well before raise decisions, ask what your performance would need to look like for the company to be excited about paying you more. Then ask what, by when, and who decides.
Is it okay to ask my manager how to get a raise?
Yes. Asking what it would take is one of the most constructive ways to bring up pay, because it asks for a target rather than money. Many managers find it easier to answer than a direct request.
What if my manager can't tell me what I need to do for a raise?
Ask who would know, and ask for one concrete example of work that would make the case. Then confirm what you heard in writing so you both have the same picture.
Should I put a raise conversation in writing?
A short note afterward, summarizing what you agreed, helps both of you remember it and gives you something to point to when decisions are made.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Waiting is how a lot of people handle pay. Do good work, hope someone notices, feel let down when nobody does. From the other side of the desk it looks different. Your manager can't help with something you haven't told them you want. They're looking after a whole team, often with a budget someone else set, and the people who say clearly what they're working toward are the ones whose goals they can actually plan around. You have more influence here than it feels like; most of it starts with saying the thing out loud.
The question itself does something useful. It asks what the company values, not what you deserve, which makes it easy to answer. Your manager doesn't have to say yes or no to money; they only have to describe good work. The answer will often describe work at the level above yours, because companies generally pay for work they already see rather than work they hope for. That can sound like a catch. It's really a map.
Repeating it back matters more than it seems. Two people can leave the same conversation remembering different things, and a hopeful ear tends to hear maybe as yes. Saying it back, then sending it in writing, gives you both one version. A target you both wrote down is much harder to forget when the decision is made.
If you're already doing the work and your manager has said as much, you don't need a target; you need to make the ask, with your evidence. And if you've already decided to leave, this conversation sets expectations you don't plan to meet, so it's kinder to skip it.
Other simple things to consider
What to do next
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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.