6 Research-Based Facts That Could Help You Get A Raise
Asking for a raise can be like preparing to have your wisdom teeth surgically removed: painful and you repeatedly ask yourself “Is this really necessary?”
Once you get a resounding, “Yes!” a few times though, then you probably deserve or need the raise enough that you should definitely ask for it. But asking for a raise shouldn’t be a painful process.
1. Do Not Ask On A Monday
This is a given. Everyone hates Mondays, and asking for a raise in the middle of your boss’s “case of the Mondays” is a sure-fire bad idea. In fast, Shannon Kolakowski, a psychologist in Seattle, confirmed to Forbes that Mondays are no-raise territory. “Steer clear of Mondays, which are notorious for producing negative, tense moods,” Kolakowski told Forbes.
2. Do Ask In The Morning
Kolakowski said that more general office-dynamic studies suggest that bosses might be more “moral” in the mornings, so that might be the best time to schedule a chat about a raise. “One study showed what is called the morning morality effect; people tend to have higher levels of moral awareness in the morning and make less ethical decisions as the day wears on,” Kolakowski told Forbes. “In order to get a well-deserved raise, it may make sense to take advantage of your boss’s morning morality (after the coffee, of course).”
The coffee presents another important point, though: you don’t want to ask too early. Give your boss some time to wake up and get sufficiently caffeinated.
3. Ask On A Thursday Or Friday
Though many people think that bosses might become more stressed, tired and less willing to negotiate about things such as salary as the week drags on, Mashable found that to be false.
In a study published by Psychology Today, a psychologist at McGill University found that in the early week, people are more focused on setting goals, assessing and dolling out responsibilities and being generally productive. But at the end of the week, bosses might be more open to negotiation since they’re in “wrap up” mode.
4. Be A Little Bit Hungry
Skip breakfast in the morning or plan to talk to your boss just before you go to lunch if you are hesitant about having the conversation.
A study by Cornell University and Dartmouth College found that hunger helps you be more motivated and increases your sense of entitlement to a reward, according to Mashable. Sure, it’s a bit Pavlovian, but it seems logical.
5. Know Your Boss’s Personality
Michael Grove, a psychotherapist and executive coach in New York City, told Forbes that it’s important to know what your boss likes, his or her personal style of conversation and when he or she has ups and downs during the day.
“There are two kinds of bosses: those who are seduced into things, and those who are coerced into things,” Grove told Forbes. “For the ‘seduced’ group, catch them when they’re at their most relaxed, when they’re off guard… Say, ‘look what we just didn’t do as a team—and look what I can do to correct this in the future.'”
But if your boss is the kind of person who wants to see proof—the actual numbers—then Glass Door suggests preparing to show how you increased the company’s sales, brought in a big client or helped ad sales by reinventing the company’s social media strategy.
6. Offer A Salary Range For Better Results
A Columbia study found that giving your boss a range that you’re looking for rather than a specific number might lead to better results, according to Mashable.
There are two factors at play here: first, people will assume that the bottom number of your range is not super negotiable, but they might not make the same assumption if you offer just one, specific number.
Second, politeness factors in. People often won’t go below the bottom number in a range out of politeness (you gave them a range, so they feel they should return your politeness). But bosses probably won’t think in the same way or feel the same obligation if you only give one number.
Regardless of when or how you do it, just ask. Research also shows that 44 percent of people who asked for a raise got what they asked for, while 33 percent got less than what they asked for, but they still received a salary increase, according to Mashable. So, skip your breakfast or mid-day snack or whatever and just go for it.
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