There comes a time in any career when you may find yourself itching for a pay rise. It may be that your responsibilities have increased with no financial reward. Or, perhaps you’re struggling to make your starter salary work.

Either way, there’s no reason you can’t reach out and broach this subject with your boss.

Still, many of put this off. It could be that you’re afraid your boss will get angry. Perhaps you’re embarrassed they’ll say no. In reality, though, most managers expect approaches like these.

While there is a small chance they’ll say no, this could still get the ball rolling. Even a negative response now could lead to a pay rise down the line.

Still, if you can’t bear the embarrassment of rejection, hope is not lost. There are various things you can do to increase your chances of approval here.

In some ways, you could consider this like an interview. You wouldn’t attend without adequate prep and answers to hand. And, you shouldn’t attend your pay rise meeting without considering the following.

Know the facts

Your employer doesn’t want to know what you could bring to their company. They want to know what you do bring, and whether it’s worth more than they pay you. As such, you should never attend a pay rise meeting without considering facts you could turn to.

Refer to how many different tasks you’re able to do. Get specific with projects you’ve managed, and the profit these have seen. The more facts you bring to the table, the less chance your manager will be able to wriggle out of paying you more.

Know how to get proactive with training

It’s also worth noting that, when it comes to pay rises, training can help your case. The trouble is, relying on in-work training courses doesn’t set you apart from the rest of your colleagues. And, you can bet your boss can’t afford to raise everyone’s pay.

Instead, then, consider how to get proactive with your training. If you answer customer calls, you could attend evening classes in phone manners. If you’re a nurse, could you complete something like this online rn bsn in your free time?

These have the benefit of applying to any future roles you consider. They could also be the thing which tips those pay rise scales in your favour.

Know what your co-workers earn

This point may seem rather taboo, but you can bet it’ll be a fantastic trump card if all else fails. The idea of talking about your salary in the workplace has always been a difficult one. Most of us choose to keep these figures close to our chests.

But, there are all manner of reasons why it’s worth drawing comparisons here, and inequality in pay is one of them. If someone less qualified is on a higher wage, you’re within your rights to address this. In the end, this could well be the thing which leaves your boss unable to deny your request here.