Make Ends Meet: Asking for a raise

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - One thing that could help about anyone make ends meet is a little more money on their paycheck each week.

Asking for a raise can go from scary and uncomfortable to exciting and normal. Especially if a person takes the steps to prepare.

These are tough times, which may be even more of a reason to ask for a raise if a person feels they deserve one.

Mitchell Creasey, also known as “The President’s Coach,” is an award-winning executive coach who works with phenomenally successful entrepreneurs.

Creasey mentions the steps to get more pay.

“Why are we so afraid to ask for a raise,” Creasey asked.

Creasey works diligently to help professionals find peace. He said he does not believe employees should ask for a raise simply because of the record-breaking inflation or escalating labor shortages.

He said a person should ask for a raise when they believe they deserve it. However, do not quietly sit and hope management is paying attention to what we are doing or what we want.

“We all believe it’s their responsibility, the bosses, our leaders, to see us, to see us working hard in silence, to see us with our heads down right, to see us putting in those extra hours and all the work we do at home with our families, but it’s not,” he said.

People need to point out if they have new responsibilities, a new skill set, or if they add value to the company.

Ask for some time to sit down and talk to the boss. Do not just stop them at the water cooler.

When scheduling a talk, be prepared when walking into that office. Gather a few boast notes, or emails filled with positive praise or a recent performance review.

“Create the story,” exclaimed Creasey. “Present the tale in the way you want to be seen. That’s the only way you’re going to be recognized for the work that you are truly doing.”

Research the current pay for the task or title held in the real-world marketplace. A person should know what they want; salary range, benefits, stock options or more.

“When you walk in that room, you want to have that specific ask laid out,” Creasey said. “When you give someone an exact target to hit, the odds of them hitting that target are going up.”

Whatever happens, stay polite and positive. Stay on the high road, because there is no such thing as a low road in a career. Always remain professional.

“If you go in fist swinging, all you’re doing is closing down that space so the person across from you feels like they have to defend themselves and the odds of getting what you want go down,” Creasy said.

There is always the chance the answer may be no. If it is no, it is ‘no for now.’

It is ok to ask what can be done to be considered for a pay raise in the future.

“It is time to let it go,” Creasey said if it does not work out. “We go back to normalization, and we continue holding the vibration of the thing we want until it shows up.”

A person should take their time when asking for a raise. It’s not something to rush into. Practice the conversation before having the conversation with the boss.

Workers can also think of other things they would like as compensation, like more time off, stock or leaving early on Fridays as an example if higher pay is not possible at the time.

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