Asking for a raise in your current job is different from negotiating a new offer. Your employer already knows your work, but may have a budget cycle, pay bands, and a view of your role that you cannot see. A strong request connects documented contributions to the scope of the job and a reasonable pay question. It does not require a dramatic ultimatum or a claim that you are irreplaceable.
Start by deciding whether you want a salary adjustment for work you already do, compensation for a larger role, or a plan toward promotion. Those can lead to different conversations. If your request is tied to a new title or responsibilities, the responsibility guide helps you make the scope concrete.
Collect evidence your manager can use
Write down three to five contributions from the last review period. For each one, name the problem, your action, and an observable result. Revenue or cost numbers help when you can verify them, but improved turnaround, fewer errors, clearer documentation, reliable coverage, and successful handoffs are also evidence. Do not invent a percentage because you think a raise conversation needs one.
Separate routine duties from expanded scope. Completing your assigned work well matters; taking responsibility for a new workflow, training others, or solving a recurring problem may support a different pay discussion. Ask a colleague or mentor to challenge vague claims before you present them.
Research pay without pretending the data is exact
Use current job postings where pay is disclosed and public wage tools such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics' occupational wage data or CareerOneStop's Salary Finder. Match the occupation, location, experience, and actual level of responsibility as closely as possible. A national median is not a personal entitlement or a precise quote for your employer.
Record the date and source of each comparison. If the market evidence is thin, say so. Internal pay bands, collective agreements, public-sector rules, and business conditions can limit a manager's immediate flexibility; ask what applies rather than assuming every employer negotiates the same way.
Choose timing and a specific request
A useful moment may be after a documented contribution, before compensation planning, or when your role has materially changed. Request a dedicated conversation so the topic is not squeezed into a status meeting. You might write: “Could we schedule 30 minutes to review my responsibilities, results, and compensation?”
Decide privately on a target and a minimum outcome you would consider workable. Your request can be a specific salary, a range with a clear floor, or a defined adjustment. Base it on evidence and your needs; do not name a number you cannot explain. If your organization has a formal review cycle, ask about the decision date and what information the manager needs.
Use a direct, calm script
“I would like to discuss my compensation. Over the past six months, I took ownership of the intake process, documented the new handoff, and reduced recurring rework that the team had flagged. I have also reviewed pay information for comparable roles in this area. Based on my current scope, I would like to discuss moving my base salary to [amount]. What would be possible?”
Replace the example with your real work. State the request once, then pause for questions. Do not describe colleagues' salaries unless you have accurate, appropriate information and a reason to use it. Keep the discussion about role scope, contribution, and the employer's decision process.
If the answer is “not now”
Ask which part of the request is the obstacle: timing, budget, pay band, performance evidence, or role definition. Then ask for an actionable next step: “What would need to be true for this to be reconsidered, who decides, and when can we review it?” A promise to “see later” is less useful than a date and clear criteria.
If base pay cannot change, a title adjustment, bonus, schedule, training budget, or paid time off may address part of your need, but value each term honestly. Do not accept a vague future promotion as if it were present compensation. Confirm any agreed change in writing and understand when it takes effect.
If the answer is no
A no is information, not necessarily a verdict on your worth. Decide whether the explanation is credible and whether the role remains a good exchange for you. You may choose to build a stronger case, seek a different internal path, or explore outside offers. Avoid threatening to resign unless you are prepared for that outcome.
Use the job-offer comparison guide if an external opportunity appears. A higher salary elsewhere is only one part of the decision. The goal of a raise conversation is clarity about your present value, the employer's response, and your next realistic choice.