The right way to ask for a raise

In his biography, Karan Johar recently talked about his cold war with Kareena Kapoor Khan, money being the main reason for the fallout between the two. The actress apparently demanded the same amount as Shah Rukh Khan for a movie and this didn’t sit well with Karan.

Asking for a raise is nerve-wracking and comes with the possibility of rejection as well as dealing with your bosses’ perception of your work.  While the drill may be tricky, it is definitely worth the shot. While having an honest and open conversation with your superiors always helps, analysing your self-worth is of utmost importance, feels life-coach Chetna Mehrotra. “Ask yourself what your self-worth is  and analyse your skill sets, strengths and weaknesses before asking for a raise. Ask for what you think you deserve and go ahead with it. Also, it is important to keep the current market scenario in mindbefore asking for a hike.”

Generally, people are not aware of their strengths and end up undermining themselves, says life-coach Khyati Birla. “It is very important to persuade yourself so that you can convince your boss. Put yourself in a confident position and collect all the facts and data needed to prove your point at the same time. Don’t rub people the wrong way or be over-confident of your achievements. Don’t act as if you deserve the raise and you are entitled to it, this will be a horrible approach,” she warns.  While it may be a hard task to summon the courage to ask for what you think you deserve, it is always wise to do a thorough market analysis to avoid disappointments. “A bad economic scenario won’t give a hike even if you deserve and hence the timing plays a very crucial role. The things you have done for the organisation should be subtly put forward. It’s always a gain and give situation and if the firm isn’t doing too well, getting a raise is not an option,” Chetna explains.

If you don’t get what you asked for, don’t be disheartened and make sure you ask for the areas of improvement, “Turn your boss into your guide, coach, and mentor and build such a rapport that when your boss quits they will take you where they go. Ask your boss up front what the areas you can improve on are, be it personal or professional,” says Khyati.