Knowing how to ask your boss for a raise starts with a written list of achievements and market pay data, then a meeting requested before performance reviews begin. Ask for a salary range, not a single figure.
A raise request works best as one step in how to plan your career path, so tie it to the role you want next as well as the number you want now.
Why raises are settled before you ask
The timing of the request often matters as much as its content. Rivier University’s guidance on negotiating a raise warns that once the performance review process is underway, decisions about salary increases have often already been made. A request that arrives late can be a request that arrives after the answer.
MIT’s Career Development Office advises evaluating your company’s current climate and your own achievements before you raise the subject, as part of its guide to asking for a raise by email. That points to three things you control: the evidence you bring, the moment you choose, and how you phrase the ask. The sequence below follows that order.
- Gather evidence. Turn your recent work into a written record.
- Benchmark the pay. Learn what the market pays for your job.
- Choose the window. Read the company’s situation and your review calendar.
- Open the conversation. Introduce the topic and book a meeting.
- Make the ask. Use a clear structure and a range.
- Answer their answer. Prepare a reply for each possible response.
Gather your evidence
SHRM’s advice is direct: compile a list of your latest accomplishments and pair it with your recent performance evaluation. Rivier makes the same point, advising you to prepare a list of achievements to make your case. A written list keeps you from relying on memory in a conversation where you may be nervous.
Two practical choices make the list stronger:
- Keep it recent. Your manager’s decision will rest on what the company has seen lately, so lead with the newest results and your latest evaluation.
- Write outcomes, not duties. A line that says what changed because of your work is easier to defend than a line that says what you were responsible for.
If your list is thin, the gap is useful information. It tells you what to build before asking, and the targets in 20 Professional Development Goal Examples To Boost Your Career In 2026 – Gozaik can help you choose where to put the next stretch of effort.
Benchmark your pay against the market
Rivier defines market value simply: every job has an average salary plus upper and lower salary ranges. Your target should sit inside that picture, not float above it. Comparing like with like matters, so Rivier suggests looking at job title, job responsibilities and regional averages together.
SHRM notes that salary information by job title is readily available through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and online job boards. Use more than one of these so that a single odd figure does not drive your number. Where you sit in the range tells you how to frame the request. If you are near the bottom for your title, market data is your strongest argument. If you are already near the top, lean harder on new responsibilities and results.
The mentor-me script guide shows how the research is used in the room: the request cites averages for your job title and experience in your metro area when stating what you are asking for. Keep your sources ready, because your manager may ask where the figure came from.
Choose the timing
Ask before the review cycle closes
Rivier recommends talking to your boss about negotiating a raise a few months before performance reviews, not during them. That gives your manager time to raise the request with whoever approves pay. When no review is scheduled, mentor-me advises booking the meeting at least two weeks in advance, so your manager is not caught without time to prepare.
Hold off when the company is under strain
SHRM cautions that if your company is conducting layoffs or has a hiring freeze or salary reduction in place, it may not be the best time to ask. Mary Rigg’s advice on asking for a raise adds a related point: try not to ambush your boss when, for instance, budget cuts are being made. In these conditions, a better first step is to tell your manager you want to discuss pay when the situation allows, and ask when that would be.
Open the conversation and make the ask
You do not have to start cold in person. MIT describes email as a good way to introduce the subject and build your case before a face-to-face meeting, and advises offering to schedule a follow-up conversation to cover details and next steps. Keep the message short: say you want to discuss your role and compensation, and propose a time.
In the meeting itself, mentor-me breaks the script into three main sections: the opener, the specifics, and the ask. Here is how they fit together, with placeholders for your own details:
- Opener. “Thank you for making time. I’d like to discuss my compensation.”
- Specifics. “Over the last review period I delivered [achievement] and [achievement]. Based on my research, which includes averages for my job title and experience in this area, my pay is [below / at the lower end of] the range for the role.”
- Ask. “I am requesting a salary between [lower figure] and [upper figure].”
The range is deliberate. SHRM says offering a range shows you are flexible in your request, and it avoids presenting your manager with an ultimatum. Set the bottom of the range at a number you would genuinely accept.
Watch your wording as well. Mentor-me advises avoiding words like believe, feel, think, just or might, because they weaken a request that rests on evidence. Say what you did and what you are asking for, then stop talking and let your manager respond.
Replies to every manager answer
Your manager’s answer will fall into one of a few groups. Each calls for a different reply, and having it ready keeps you steady.
| Manager’s answer | What it may mean | Your goal |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | The request is approved or close to it | Confirm the terms and get them in writing with a specific timeline |
| Not right now | A refusal may be temporary, not final | Learn when salary can be discussed again |
| No, with reasons | The gap may be about performance criteria or budget | Learn what it takes to earn the raise and agree a reassessment date |
These replies draw on SHRM’s guidance on handling a refusal and Rivier University’s advice on negotiating a raise.
If the answer is yes
Say thank you, then confirm the details aloud: “To make sure I have this right, my new salary is [figure], effective [date].” Rivier’s advice is that if your employer agrees to a raise or additional benefits, you should get the agreement in writing. A short follow-up email summarising the figure and date does the job.
If the answer is not right now
SHRM points out that a no could simply mean “not right now.” Treat it as an opening for a date: “I understand the timing is difficult. Will there be room for salary discussions in the future, and when would be the right point to come back to this?” SHRM recommends asking exactly that, whether there will be room for salary discussions later.
If the answer is no
Do not argue the point in the room. Ask for the standard you will be measured against, as Rivier suggests: “Candidly, what would it take for me to earn a raise by that time? Can we set a date to look at this again?” A candid answer and a specific date turn a refusal into a plan. Note the criteria in your follow-up email so both of you are working from the same record.
After the meeting
Whatever the answer, send a brief written summary within a day or so: what was said, what was agreed and when you will talk again. Then keep your achievements list current, so the next conversation starts from fresh evidence, not from memory.
If refusals keep coming without a plan attached, the real question may be whether the role can ever pay what the market does. That is a bigger decision than one meeting, and Career Change at 40: How To Pivot Confidently And Land Your Next Role In 2026 – Gozaik looks at what a larger move involves.
Frequently asked questions
Is it professional to ask for a raise by email?
Yes. MIT’s Career Development Office describes email as a professional and effective way to start the conversation. Treat it as the opening step, and offer a follow-up meeting to discuss details and next steps.
How long should I wait to ask again after getting a raise?
Mary Rigg’s advice is to wait around a year before renegotiating if you earned a raise recently. Asking again soon after a raise is likely to meet resistance.
What else can I ask for if my employer cannot raise my pay?
Rivier names extra paid time off, flexible hours and other less tangible benefits as alternatives to explore after a refusal. If anything is agreed, get it in writing with a specific timeline.
