Want Help Getting a Raise?

Whether you have been working at a company for a while or are about to go on that first interview there are do's and don'ts that you need to know. After all you don't want to seem pushy but you do want what you want. So, do you really want that raise? Here's the list according to Reader' Digest.

1. Don’t lie, but don’t tell.  Do not reveal your current salary until you absolutely have to. Leave the space on the application blank or write “To be discussed in person,” Vault.com’s Jason Levin says. Say, “I’d like to focus on the opportunity here and whether it’s a good fit.”

 

2. Make them name the number first. Pam Lassiter at Freemoneyfinance.com recommends ducking when the question comes. Tell the interviewer that the pay systems at the two companies differ: “I’m sure you pay competitively. What did you have in mind?”

 

3. Be general at first.  Lee Miller, author of “Get More Money on Your Next Job…in Any Economy,” says, “The phrase to use is ‘my total compensation.’” That way, you can include upcoming raises, bonuses, 401(k) matches, and other benefits without overstating things. Lassiter suggests giving a broad range that includes all these things and then asking what the company’s own package looks like.

  4. Be specific when you’re pushed.  When their patience is flagging, tell them what they want to know, Lassiter says. Then, smiling, ask what salary and compensation they have in mind.

Do you have any tips for getting the salary you want and feel you deserve under any circumstances? Do you have any tips for people such as myself who have been out of work for a period of time and feel like there is nothing out there fitting our experience that is willing to take a chance and pay a little extra?