7 Reasons to Ask for a Raise

So, you want a raise? Great! But do you deserve a raise? Have you adequately displayed your value to the company? Or do you believe you can easily receive a raise because it's been a year? Before you go in and ask for a raise, it's important to make sure you have enough going for you.

Here are seven reasons to ask for a raise.

1) A Positive Attitude

Don't underestimate likability.

Do results matter? Absolutely. However, a positive attitude goes a heck of a long way in helping your cause. This doesn't mean you have to be best friends with your boss (in fact, that's a no-no), but a good attitude is different than brown-nosing or kissing up. It means you accept new challenges and you're open to new ideas. Even when you're brainstorming potential roadblocks, you still find a way to remain positive and proactive instead of negative and reactionary. Something about catching flies with honey, not vinegar.

Or, put more simply, people are generally more apt to give raises to people they like. Being cooperative, forward-thinking, and congenial helps your cause tremendously.

2) Going Above & Beyond

One of the biggest mistakes people make when asking for a raise is bragging about nothing.

Have you done your job and been an average employee? If so, that's not exactly a selling point. That's what you were hired to do and it's what's expected of you. A raise simply, for this reason, is basically you saying, "Well, I'm not terrible and I'm doing the minimum so please give me more money." A raise means you're doing more, so show that you've gone above and beyond your job responsibilities. Showing initiative and putting in the extra effort are the things your bosses want to see.

3) Always Growing & Improving

Are you still doing the same exact job you were doing three years ago? That's probably not a good thing.

Employers value versatility and an eagerness to learn. Have you asked for new job responsibilities? Have you attempted to find new projects or inquired about additional opportunities? Have you checked out any additional training that would make you a more valuable employee in the long run? If you show yourself to be interested and invested in the future so you can help the company, you'll be that much more likely to successfully get a raise when you ask.

4) Unceasingly Reliable

Are you your company's go-to guy/gal?

There is nothing that makes an employer more giddy than knowing they can turn something important over to an employee they know will deliver. That's why it's incredibly important to do high quality work consistently, meet deadlines regularly, and gain a reputation as someone who always delivers. Because if you can always be counted on by your boss, it's that much more likely you'll be counting a few extra bucks in your raise following positive performance reviews.

5) A Team-first Attitude

Great athletes are superb players. But the absolute best stars not only elevate their own game, they make everyone else around them better.

While you probably can't dunk or hit a home run, you can apply this mindset to the working world and getting a raise. If you can show how your actions and individual efforts led to your team's success, a raise will probably be following close behind. If you were a mentor to someone who excelled, be sure to bring that up too because it shows you're not only interested in yourself, but in bettering the people around you as well as the company on the whole.

6) Confidence and Preparedness

Confidence is key. Always has been, always will be.

As simple as it seems, many bosses greatly respect the simple act of asking. Because while some lucky souls get raises without ever addressing it, most of us will never see an additional dime if we don't ask for it. But confidence should always be combined with preparedness for maximum impact. That means not only asking, but having all your talking points together in advance so you can refer to them while talking with your boss.

7) A Vision for the Future

When a company decides to invest more money in you for the long haul, they're investing in the future. That's why, if you're asking for a raise, be sure to lay out new ideas, projects, and plans for both the short and long term. That lets your employer know you're working in the present, but always with an eye on the future. It tells them you're a safer bet to invest in because you're already thinking down the road.

Not quite ready to ask for a raise but interested in planning your career path? Here are some tools to help you along the way: