Most of us negotiate once, at the offer, and then wait politely for the company to notice us. Then the annual review lands, the raise is three percent, and we say thank you.
Chapter 14 of my book is Negotiating Your Worth, and the part I want you to hear today is the timing. In a lot of companies, the money for next year's raises and promotions gets decided in the fall, well before your review. If you wait until the review to ask, you are often asking for money that has already been spent. So October is a great month to start this conversation.
Step 1: build your case before you book the meeting
Open a doc and call it something you like. Mine would be called the receipts. Then fill it with:
Results with numbers. Revenue you brought in, money or hours you saved, projects you shipped, people you trained.
Scope creep. Everything you now do that was not in your original job description. If you are doing the next level's job, write down exactly how.
Praise in writing. Screenshot the thank you messages, the shout outs, the "this was great" emails.
Market data. What people with your title and experience make in your city. Check salary sites, the pay ranges in job postings (many states now require them), and ask two people in your field what they make. That last one feels awkward and it is the most useful data you will get.
Step 2: ask for the meeting, on purpose
Send a short message to your manager: "I'd love 30 minutes to talk about my growth here and my compensation for next year. Does next week work?" Naming the topic ahead of time is a kindness. It gives your manager a chance to check the budget before you sit down.
Step 3: the script
"Over the last year I've [your two strongest results, with numbers]. I've also taken on [the scope that belongs to the next level]. Based on that and on what the market pays for this role, I'd like to talk about a move to [title] and a salary of [number]. What would it take to make that happen in this cycle?"
Then stop talking. Let them answer. The silence feels long to you and normal to everyone else.
Pick your number before the meeting and make it specific. A specific number reads as researched. Aim at the top of the range your data supports, so there is room to land where you actually want to be.
Step 4: when the answer is "not this year"
Sometimes the budget really is gone, or the promotion needs a cycle you cannot skip. That does not mean you walk out with nothing. Ask what they can do instead:
A one time cash bonus or a spot bonus for the work you already did
An equity refresh, like extra RSUs, if your company grants stock
The title now, with the pay adjustment scheduled for a date in writing
More PTO, a flexible or remote schedule, or a compressed week
A learning budget for a certification, a course or a conference
A promotion plan: the specific goals that get you promoted, and the date you will review them together
Then close the loop: "Can we put that in writing and set a check in for [date]?" The date is what turns a good conversation into a plan.
Step 5: protect the money once you get it
When the raise hits, move part of it before you get used to it. Raise your retirement contribution by a percent or two, and send a slice to savings automatically the day after payday. Your lifestyle never has to meet that money, and future you will be thrilled.
The Career Glow-Up Kit is free and has the prep I would want you to have before that conversation: https://mail.therichhermana.com/products/the-rich-hermana-career-glow-up-kit
One thing before Friday: start your receipts doc and write down three results with numbers. Then come tell us what you are asking for in Hermana HQ, the free community where the 9 to 5 crowd swaps scripts, numbers and pep talks: https://mail.therichhermana.com/community
El que no llora, no mama. Ask.
Con amor, Ixamar 🌺
This is education from my own experience, never personalized financial, legal or career advice.