Dear Dina,

I have been working for a company for 2 years and have not had any increase in salary or any bonus.  I see from other colleagues in other companies doing the same work for $20,000 more.  How do I approach my employer to ask for more money?  Any advice you could share would be appreciated.  

- Ms. Underpaid

Dear Ms. Underpaid,

Thank you for bringIng forward your question. 

Way to go!  Finding the courage to have a difficult conversation can be stressful.  Here are three steps you can take to have a constructive and successful conversation.

Step 1 ‰ÛÒ Have a Plan 

What are other people in your industry and level of work being paid?  Can you present some comparisons from reputable sources such as monster, indeed or Workopolis, perhaps some agencies could share job postings with salary ranges for the same type of work you do.  Consider what you want? Is it more vacation time, a salary increase of $2,000 or an option to work from home.  (These things are negotiable).

Step 2 ‰ÛÒ Present the plan

Select the right time, ensure you schedule time with the person you report to.  You will have to ‰ÛÏmake your case‰Û to why you deserve a raise.  Role play with a friend this scenario.  I recommend that you right out a script that starts like this:  I would like to present my business case to why I feel I should have a pay increase.  Are you willing and open to having a discussion?  Its important that you don‰Ûªt take your boss off guard and be direct to the why you asked for meeting.  Based on the reply, continue to share your competitive analysis on other salaries with similar roles and industries and list a few of your accomplishments that demonstrate the ‰ÛÏwhy‰Û you deserve the raise.

Look for body language expressions to see how he/she reacts.  Try not to be pushy for an answer and consider asking they consider this ask and  reply to you by  the end of next week.  Keep in mind, most managers will have to seek out approval and discussions with HR on policies and payouts, etc.  

Step 3 â€°Ã›Ã’ Follow Up

Once the deadline has passed, you could follow up with a second request reply for update on pay increase and take it from there.  If the increase is not approved, ask why and what else could you do to gain the knowledge/experience you require for the pay increase.

Best of luck on your challenge and keep us posted to your success. Send your questions to info@avantiwomen.com!

Kind wishes,

Dina Barazza,

Founder of Avanti Women