The year is coming to an end, and for some, that means it’s bonus season. Annual reviews are approaching, and this is a crucial time to prove your worth and get that bump in salary.

                By                    Sam DiSalvo

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Have you done enough work throughout the year to earn you that extra cash in your paycheck? Of course you have, but that doesn’t really matter unless you can sell yourself when the time comes.

Here are a few tips that can help boost the chances of you getting that end-of-year bonus or promotion you’re hoping for.

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Know Your Worth

If you’re asking for a raise, it’s best to come armed with research. You’ll want to look up how much someone in your location with your position and your experience makes.

Sites like PayScale allow you to enter your job title, amount of experience and where you’re working to get a comprehensive look at the average pay your job earns. If you’re making significantly less than that, you’ll want to present this information to your boss. Facing cold hard facts that you’re underpaid makes it harder for your manager to turn down your request for more money, especially if you’ve been doing great work. 

Present Your Reasoning 

Say you are making exactly what the average worker in your position makes. That doesn’t mean you should go without a raise.

In this case, it’s best to put your accomplishments into a presentation or deck. A good slide to have is how your work led to company-wide milestones. Maybe you created something that helped earn the company more money. Be specific with exact figures and percentages. Again, the more data you have to back up your request, the better your case for a raise will be.

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This is also a great place to include any special skills you provide to your team. Do you have a certification that makes you uniquely qualified? Or, have you started to take on some other work you wouldn’t normally? Put this forward when you ask for your bonus so your supervisor is reminded of your value.

Rehearse

It might seem silly to say your pitch out loud, but the more familiar you are with what you’re saying, the more confident you’ll be when it’s time to meet with your boss. Practice a few times to yourself, then have a friend or partner listen to your pitch. If they have any notes, make sure they align with what you’ll feel comfortable saying.

You know your relationship with your boss best. That doesn’t mean you should ever undersell yourself, but if you’re getting suggestions to use any tactics you don’t want, listen to your gut. Practicing in front of someone is mostly so you get comfortable delivering the speech. It’s not easy to ask for what you want, but saying it out loud multiple times will also remind you why you deserve what you’re asking for. 

Piggyback On a Success

There is an art to the timing of asking for a raise. Maybe you’re about to give a big presentation, really shined in a crisis or recently had a huge win. These are the times to ask for a raise — when you’ve just done something that has clearly brought a lot of value to the company. If your boss or someone else just recognized your achievements, look at this as a sign that your team likes what you’re doing and it wouldn’t be uncalled for you to earn more to do it. 

Appeal To More Than Just Your Boss

Your manager might determine if you get a raise, but other people on your team can influence that as well. If you do all of your work but don’t collaborate well with other employees, your boss might not feel you fully deserve a bump in pay.

Being a good employee is about not only doing the work well, but also being pleasant to work with. Make sure you’re not just focusing on impressing your boss, but making your worth known across the company. Assist others when they need it. They might give glowing reviews of you to your supervisor that will work wonders when it comes to bonus time. 

Plan For Next Year

Maybe your company is in a tight financial state, or your boss simply turned you down for your bonus. Don’t give up. Start preparing for next year’s conversation now.

Document the amount of work you’re doing and any accolades or accomplishments. Keep conversation flowing with your manager to make sure you’re matching what they consider to be a successful employee. If your boss did turn you down for a raise, ask why, and if there’s anything you can do to get one in a year. Start making those things happen now so your supervisor will have no choice but to give you a raise in 2023 — and if they don’t, start considering other options.