Merit in the Asking:

Asking the boss for a raise is about as comfortable as enduring a cross-continental plane ride full of non-stop turbulence. It's something most people are uneasy about doing and some even avoid. Yet, at one point or another, many people find themselves wanting to talk about salary increases with their supervisors, especially if their workload, hours and/or responsibility have increased without a commensurate hike in the paycheck. With some knowledge and enough preparation, employees can ease their discomfort with the situation and come out on top.

Be Prepared Dave Jensen, president of S3, a Los Angeles-based consulting and training company that advises on leadership and service, said it's not smart to even bring up the topic of a raise unless you know what it takes to get a raise at your company, clinic or hospital. "You cannot ask for a raise unless you're doing more than the job originally demanded when you were hired," he said. "In a market-based economy, everything comes back to value and people who deliver the most value to a company ultimately get paid the most." But the trick is to objectively figure out how much value you bring to the department before you ask the boss to hand over the money. "I always tell people that you need to ask the boss what it takes to get a raise ahead of time," Jensen said. The reason for doing this, he said, is that most people make decisions for their own reasons, not for other people's reasons. So, walking into the boss's office and presenting him or her with an arbitrary list of accomplishments and reasons for giving a raise is not the best approach. "I don't think it's appropriate to just walk in and say 'I deserve a raise' without asking first what it will take," Jensen said. Instead, he advises employees to prepare ahead of time-find out what it will take to impress the boss and then make sure to do those things before asking for a raise. Alice Toth, MBA, the administrative data coordinator for the Sisters of Saint Francis Health Systems in Mishawaka, Ind., compares asking for a raise to preparing a legal case. "You have to do your homework. You have to help your boss determine your worth and approach him like he isn't aware of how valuable you are to the department and you're out to prove it," she said. Toth should know. She recently put together a case for herself and approached her own boss about the possibility of getting a raise. She was successful, she said, because she did a lot of groundwork ahead of time. Tools to Use In preparing a case, evidence must be gathered. Toth said she started by researching salary levels for positions similar to hers across the country. She suggested turning to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://stats.bls.gov/blshome.htm) and Hoovers Online (http://www.hoovers.com/) for help. She also advised looking into the financial state of the hospital, clinic or organization to determine if a raise is even a financial possibility at the time. Jensen added that it's also important to be aware of the boss's goals. "You have to ask yourself how you are helping the boss get to where he or she wants to go and you have to be able to show how you've helped your manager succeed," he said. This can be done through a list of accomplishments prepared ahead of time. Toth said that technologists who are cross-trained, who have gained additional certifications, who participate in quality management functions and who have received continuing education credits throughout the course of their employment should definitely put these things on their lists of accomplishments. Jensen said that the spirit in which an employee discusses the possibility of a raise is also important. "You must have data and you must be prepared," he said. In addition, both Toth and Jensen pointed out that bringing up a raise during a formal six-month or yearly evaluation is not always appropriate. "You have to earn the right to ask," Jensen said. "If you haven't found out ahead of time what you need to do to get a raise, then it's best not to ask at that time." Toth said that often, by the time a formal evaluation comes around, all the decisions have been made and cleared through human resources departments about the possibility and the size of a raise. "If you know you have an evaluation coming up, ask ahead of time what it takes to get a raise so you know if you've done that or not," Jensen said. "You can expect to get a raise as soon as six months from the time you ask. But you have to remember that a raise is given in the context of a bigger picture." The reason most people are anxious about even discussing the topic with their bosses, Jensen said, is fear of the unknown. But with a little preparation, the ride to financial success can be a lot less turbulent and the outcome more satisfying. Kelley Devereaux is on staff at ADVANCE. She can be reached at kdevereaux@merion.com.