It’s a good question.
When to negotiate a pay rise? Timing is key so when you have an appraisal or performance review coming up, this would be a perfect opportunity.
You will want to do some preparation for this as you will only have one chance at saying the right things, so prepare. Have a good answer for “why should you have a pay increase?”
Think about … What you have achieved since starting / Have you been hitting your targets / Have you been working additional hours / What have you contributed to the company and lastly, when was your last pay increase. These are all great points to make in your review.
Also look at a current salary guide, this will give you an idea of where your salary should be.
There are also other things to consider, you might be able to negotiate extra days holiday, be able to work from home or discuss flexi-time – these are good options depending on your circumstances, however, be careful not to look to greedy, these are good options to discuss if they are more important than a salary increase.
When you have your review, it is perfectly acceptable to discuss an increase or additional benefits, do not say, I want an increase, or worse, give them an ultimatum, this is very unprofessional and would not build a working relationship and if anything, you would more than likely cause bad feelings between you and the company.
Key points to remember
- Prepare a few answers – this will show you are serious and that you have done your homework
- Be confident – you are not asking to double your salary. It can be daunting but no doubt you have been working hard to be in a position that you feel appropriate to ask for an increase.
- Stay professional – you would have researched the market salary for your position and experience. Be fair and respectable.