6 Ways to Get a Raise Without Asking
You don’t have to wait for your annual review to get a raise nor do you have to find a new job as leverage for one. There is a host of ways to get an increase in your salary without even having to ask.
In this tight economy, where jobs are hard to come by, many workers passively accept the fact that any raises coming their way will likely be at the end of the year during review time. Others, fearing that even asking will put them on the firing line, will go as far as to find another job and use that as a way to ask for more money from their current employer.
But instead of passively accepting a fate or spending all that effort to get a counter offer, employees can get a raise and all it requires is going above and beyond in their current position.
“The best way to get a raise without asking is to simply outperform at your job,” says Aravinda Rao Souza, senior marketing manager at BullHorn. “If you shine in this regard, you’ll automatically attract the attention of your supervisors, and if there are raises to be given, you’ll be first in line.”
When it comes to shining there is more than one way to do it. From finding an advocate to doing double duty, here’s a look at six strategies that can help you get a raise without asking.
Strategy No. 1: Add value by brining on new customers
Money talks and if you are the one bringing more money to a company or saving them some, chances are you will be rewarded for that effort. According to Susan Ruhl, a managing partner at OI Partners Innovative Career Consulting in Denver, adding value could mean many things. It could be bringing in new customers or cutting costs by using suppliers you’ve worked in the past. Or it may mean providing referrals that lead to key hires. The idea is to become valuable to the company because you helped the business grow or protect its bottom line.
Strategy No. 2: Do double your job
Doing more with less has been the mantra for some years now as companies have suffered through the protracted recession. Even now, with things on the mend, if you can do double the job you were hire for it almost guarantees you will get noticed in a positive way. “If you can do everything expected of you in your current job extremely well, plus find the time and resources to take on value-adding projects no one asked you to do and do them well, you’ll be rewarded for it,” says Souza.
Strategy No. 3: Find an advocate
You can spend all day singing your own praises but if you want to get noticed by the higher ups, a great way to do that is have other people do it for you. If you can find people who can speak on your behalf about your accomplishments and work ethic it can go a long way in getting you noticed and thus more money, says Joel Garfinkle, author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level. “Advocates promote your value and worth to people in positions of power, like your boss,” he says. “Once your boss repeatedly hears from your advocates, he/she will be inclined to give you a raise without you asking.”
Strategy No. 4: Make Your boss look great
Everyone has aspirations to be the head guy or girl, but it’s not going to make you any friends if you engage in any ruthless behavior to get there. On the other hand, trying to get your supervisor promoted, says Souza, is a great way to get yourself a raise as well. “Making your bosses look like great leaders – by doing an excellent job, turning your team into a well-oiled machine, and showcasing their achievements – can definitely make you stand out in a good way,” says Souza. “If you’re trying to move up (financially or in terms of title) by yourself at the expense of others, be prepared for a fight. If you’re trying to move everyone up a level, however, be prepared for a party.”
Strategy 5: Volunteer for tasks no one wants to do
Nothing screams team player more than volunteering for a task that no one else in the office wants to do. It could be organizing the holiday party, running a charity event or getting all the employees on board with a new wellness program. If you volunteer and do it well it will not only show you are a team player but it shows you understand the pains of the company and are executing to help them overcome the problems or challenges, says Ruhl.
Strategy 6: Get on a high profile assignment
It may not be easy, but if you are able to swing it, getting assigned to highly visible projects will ensure the key players know you because your name is apt to come up more frequently, says Garfinkle. “Highly visible projects help to expand your exposure, increase your impact and become more impactful,” he says. “As you gain increased recognition, your manager will be inclined to provide you with a raise without asking because your impact is known and he wants to reward you.”
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