Most people ask for a pay rise badly, if they ask at all. They wait to be noticed, hint instead of asking, name no number, and accept the first answer they are given. Then they spend the next year resentful and quietly job-hunting. Asking well is a skill, not a personality trait, and it is one you can learn before your next review. The aim is simple: walk in with evidence, ask for a specific figure, and stay composed whatever comes back. Do that and you have already outperformed most of your colleagues.
Do the research first
You cannot negotiate a number you have not worked out. Before any conversation, find out what your role actually pays in your market, not what you imagine it pays. Sites like Glassdoor and, in tech, Levels.fyi give you ranges; recruiters on LinkedIn will often tell you the going rate for your title if you ask directly; and colleagues in similar roles, where you can talk openly, are the best source of all. Anchor to the market, because 'I would like more' is not an argument, while 'comparable roles in this city pay 12% above what I earn' is one your manager can take upstairs.
Decide on your number before you walk in, and make it specific. A precise figure signals you have done the work; a vague 'a bit more' invites a vague answer.
Build the case
A pay rise is paid for results, not effort or loyalty, so your job is to show the value you have already delivered. Keep a running list of your wins throughout the year — the project you led, the revenue you brought in, the process you fixed, the problem you stopped from becoming a crisis. Put numbers on them wherever you can, because 'I improved the onboarding process' is forgettable and 'I cut new-hire ramp time from six weeks to three' is not.
Then frame the ask around what you have contributed and where you are heading, not around your rent going up. Your landlord's prices are not your employer's problem; the value you generate is.
Time it and say it plainly
Timing matters more than people think. The strongest moment to ask is just after a clear win or when you have taken on more responsibility, and the natural window is a review cycle or budget-planning season. Book a dedicated conversation rather than ambushing your manager in a corridor. When you get there, say it directly: 'Based on my work this year and the market rate for this role, I would like to discuss increasing my salary to X.' Then stop talking. Silence after the ask is uncomfortable, and the discomfort works in your favour — do not rush to fill it or to apologise for asking.
When the answer is no
A no is information, not a door slamming. The worst response is to nod, retreat, and quietly seethe. Instead, treat it as the start of a plan:
- Ask exactly what would need to change for the answer to be yes, and get it specific — a target, a timeframe, a number.
- Pin down a date to revisit it, ideally within three to six months, so 'not now' does not quietly become 'never'.
- Get the agreed plan in writing, even if it is just a follow-up email you send summarising the conversation.
- If the honest answer is that the role will never pay what your skills are worth, that is your cue to start looking — and now you know your market value, which makes the next interview far easier.
The exact words for the awkward moments
Knowing you should ask is one thing; finding the words when your manager is looking at you is another. Borrow these and adapt them — having a line ready stops you defaulting to an apology.
To open the conversation: 'I'd like to talk about my compensation. Based on what I've delivered this year and the market rate for this role, I'd like to discuss raising my salary to X.' Then stop — do not soften it, do not laugh nervously, do not add 'but I understand if not'.
If they push back on the number: 'I appreciate that. The figure is based on what comparable roles are paying and the results I've brought in — can we talk through what's possible?' You are holding your position without picking a fight.
If it is a flat no: 'I understand. Can you tell me specifically what would need to change for this to be a yes, and when we could revisit it?' That turns a dead end into a plan with a date attached.
And if the honest answer is that the budget simply is not there: 'That's helpful to know. In the meantime, could we look at other things — extra leave, a training budget, a clearer path to the next level?' Non-salary wins are real wins, and they keep the relationship warm while you decide your next move. Whatever the answer, follow up in writing the same day, summarising what was agreed. Memories conveniently fade; an email does not.
Asking for a pay rise is not greedy or pushy; it is a normal part of managing your own career, and nobody else is going to do it for you. Research the market, build a case from results, name a specific number, and have a plan for a no. The conversation lasts twenty minutes. The difference it makes, compounded over years and future salaries, is enormous.