It's the most wonderful time of the year — no, not the holidays — performance-review season at work! Now is when many employers evaluate their employees’ contributions to the organization’s mission and bottom line, and then make decisions about raises, bonuses, and promotions accordingly. So it’s a great time to ask for a raise.
But if you aren’t able to make a good case for yourself, then you might find that not only is your career becoming stagnant but also that you could be first on the chopping block in the event of corporate (or wider) economic misfortune. Assuming you don’t want to be considered disposable in the eyes of your employer, here are some tactics and strategies to implement before you ask for a raise. They might just help increase your chances of success.
1. Use your initial job interview to set the stage.
Remember how nobody cares about your money more than you do? Well, nobody cares about your career more than you do, either. In fact, in many ways your career and your money are arguably the same thing.
While there are (probably) supervisors out there who will proactively approach you with advancement opportunities appropriate for your skill set, it’s safer to assume that you’ll need to take matters into your own hands.
The best time to set expectations is, of course, before you even have the job. So if you’re still job-hunting, give some serious thought to your career trajectory. Where do you want to be in five or 10 years? How will the jobs you apply for contribute to your end goal? Voice that end goal during the interview process while making sure to be clear about what you can offer immediately.
You can also use the interview to articulate what skills you will gain in the position that will enable you to increase your contribution proportionately. This can help portray you as someone with ambition, and can also help put you at the forefront of your supervisor’s mind when the right opportunity comes along.
2. Use a performance review to re-interview … for the job you really want.
The second-best time to set expectations is, of course, right now. If your employer doesn’t schedule face-to-face meetings as part of the performance-review process, request one. If such meetings are part of the process, come prepared. Don’t complain about opportunities for which you’ve been passed over; instead, point out what knowledge or skill sets you’ve gained or currently possess that are under-utilized — and then express a desire to maximize your contribution accordingly.
In other words, just as you should think of interviewing a prospective employer as a two-way street, so too is the performance-review process. However, it’s important that you don’t just offer to do more work — identify a job title commensurate with the role you are offering to take on and request that the issue be revisited down the road. And don’t be pie-in-the-sky about it — if you think strategically and can anticipate a genuine need, it’s much more likely that you’ll be taken seriously.
Additionally, if you are pursuing or considering a certificate or other credential that would make you more valuable in the eyes of your employer, let them know sooner rather than later. They might be able to support you in your endeavors, for example, by paying the associated costs or adjusting your schedule to accommodate your efforts. Providing a heads-up also gives them a chance to make whatever preparations are necessary to ensure the appropriate promotional opportunity is available for you and set a succession plan in place for your current responsibilities.
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