As the saying goes, it's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil. Unless you work in a company where salary increases automatically go hand in hand with the number of hours worked or your performance, few employers, apart from the planned increases often linked to inflation, will offer you a raise. salary spontaneously. Therefore, in order to receive a salary increase, one must first request it. Ask and you will receive? It’s not that simple ...

Nowadays it is arguably more realistic to say: negotiate and you will receive.

Here are five essential tips for doing this:

Prepare well

On the one hand, if your boss has made it to the job they hold, there's a good chance they'll be an effective manager. On the other hand, he has a better overview of the business than you do. To face him, you owe it to yourself to be well prepared and to bring him valid arguments. In other words, to speak his language. This means that it is best not to try to justify your increase by the trips you want to take, but rather by the improvements you have made or the clientele you have developed.

Be aware of your worth

You can't negotiate anything if you don't know its value. The same is true of you. What is your value to the company? What is it in your area of expertise? First, find out what salaries are paid to employees in a position similar to yours elsewhere in the market. Then ask yourself how much essential you are. Being one of the only human resources specialists in a remote region is certainly an advantage that one graphic designer among 1,000 others in a metropolitan area does not have.

Don't overlook social benefits

You often put your expectations in dollars, but the social benefits should not be underestimated. Your employer may not be able to make the pay concessions, but an extra week of vacation always goes well. Access to the company’s insurance plan can also be worth a lot of money. Otherwise, it is always possible to negotiate a more flexible schedule, to work four days a week or to telework.

Know how to wait for the right moment ...

Here you need to consider your personal performance as well as that of the company. Obviously, it is better to ask for a raise after a positive evaluation, than after being late for work two consecutive mornings. On a related note, if some of your coworkers have just received a raise, there's probably no better time to apply for one too. Conversely, if the business has just lost its biggest customer, it is best to wait for a better time.

... but negotiate sooner rather than later.

Waiting for the right time does not always mean putting off the negotiation until later. Keep in mind that the increases represent an additional percentage of your previous salary. So the longer you wait, the more you lose since you have to take into account the snowball effect.