By Aleigh Acerni

Recently, a reader asked me if I could write about the process an employee should go through when seeking a raise. This particular employee has been with her company for two years, and after a six-month review (initiated by her), she has had neither formal reviews nor mention of a raise from her boss, whom she describes as “a wonderful, quiet man.”

“Because I work in a small office, and there is no immediate supervisor,” she writes, “there is no one that handles such responsibilities.”

OK, reader, let me offer some tips on how to best present yourself as an integral, important part of your office and worthy of a raise.

Put your best foot forward

It seems to me that this boss has simply overlooked the fact that his employees should have regular reviews or an evaluation process of some kind. Perhaps in the past, his employees have not been so loyal and simply left instead of trying to initiate a conversation that could lead to a pay increase.

If this is true, I’d say Mr. Wonderfulboss probably wouldn’t be opposed to discussing a pay increase or at least hearing out an employee who has been doing a good job for two years.

Why not say, “Mr. Wonderfulboss, I’d like to discuss my accomplishments over the past two years, and talk about the possibility of getting a raise”? If that works and your boss agrees to a meeting, you’ve at least gotten your foot in the door.

Preparedness is key

Being prepared and having concrete evidence to back up your request will start you off in a positive light during your performance review. Here are some ideas to help.

– Chronicle your accomplishments. This can start as soon as you get a job. Keep all congratulatory e-mails in hard copy form as proof of your abilities. What are you the best at in your company?

– Compare your salary and cost of living expenses. Several career-related web sites, like Monster.com or HotJobs.com, offer salary estimators and comparisons for your region, state or nationwide (in case you’re curious how much money your siblings make). They also have cost of living estimates and other background information to help you explain to your boss why you deserve a raise based on merit or purely to keep up with cost of living increases.

– Increase your value. Take free classes, online courses, whatever you can find to increase your value to your company—and give you credibility in asking for more.

– Be creative. If your boss agrees that you deserve a raise but just doesn’t have the cash flow to give you one, come up with other options. Do you want more vacation time? Better benefits? Stock options? A company vehicle?

– Step into your boss’s shoes. A supervisor wants to know the bottom line. Why are you such an asset to your company? Do you attract customers, directly increasing revenue? Do you support teams that do? Are you constantly looking for ways to save the company money?

– Refrain from ultimatums. Unless you’re prepared to back them up, be prepared to look dumbstruck if your boss says, “OK, I just want you to be happiest in your professional career. If I can’t give you what you want, please find it somewhere else.”

– Be flexible. If you ask for a 10% raise and your boss counters with 3%, ask if you can have a re-evaluation in sThink first, speak secondix months, with the possibility of the remaining 7% pending on your performance. Be sure to have a list of agreed-upon goals or improvements to achieve during that time period—and document your achievements.

Don’t ask for the performance review without considering timing, however. During raise consideration time (probably right before or during your company’s budgeting process), is the best time to hammer out the details of a pay increase. Try to set a meeting during the most convenient time for your boss, but beware—if that time is a week away, you may be closely monitored in the meantime.

One last piece of advice: The working world is competitive, and sometimes professional survival depends on looking out for yourself, whether that means aggressively going after pay increases, leaving jobs that are unfulfilling or simply being able to market yourself without coming off as overconfident.

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