Instances When You Can Rightfully Ask for a Raise

Asking for a raise. It is one of the most daunting and overwhelming tasks that any employee can take on. Many working professionals today have come face-to-face with this issue. You may feel as though you need a raise or that you deserve a raise, but if your boss isn’t giving it to you, then it may be time to step in and ask. There are some people who feel as though this is rude and that this tactic can blow up in their face. However, the truth of the matter is that there are some instances where it is completely appropriate to ask for a raise. You just need to approach the topic delicately, be respectful yet firm and be reasonable in what you are asking for. Here are three examples of instances where you can, and should, rightfully ask for a raise.

When You’ve Made the Company More Money

If you have single handedly made the company more money through sales or through closing a certain deal, then you have more than enough rights to ask for a raise. Before you do, give it some time and make sure that your boss and the company realizes how much you have made them. You shouldn’t expect to get a raise the minute you close the deal. However, if you have given it some time and haven’t gotten a raise, go ahead and ask for one. After all, you know that the company has more money (thanks to your work) so asking for a portion of it as an increase to your salary isn’t really out of the question.

When You’ve Excelled at a Big Goal

Most companies will set goals for their employees and then back those goals up with a reward or incentive. Say they want you to make 100,000 sales in a quarter, and you make that many sales. Perhaps it was a big goal and one that seemed almost impossible at first but you worked hard to reach it. This is a great time to talk about a raise. You can go into your boss, show him what you have done and show him a proven track record not only of your success but of your ability to take on big challenges, and then ask for a raise for your hard work and as motivation to continue this hard work in the future.

When the Department You Run is Growing Like Crazy

If you are in charge of a certain department within your company and this department starts growing and growing, this means that you are taking on more and more responsibilities. You have more to do and more people to be responsible for. Managing a team of ten and managing a team of 30 are two very different things. If your department has been constantly growing, consider asking for a raise to reflect how much more work that you have to do. Make sure you bring in supporting documents, showing the additional responsibilities that you have to take on because of the growth of your department. This is a very understandable reason for asking for a raise, just make sure that you aren’t complaining about all of the work, just showcasing the added work you have to do and why that work requires an added salary. After all, most companies shouldn’t be expecting their employees to work for free.