How to Ask for a Raise

ByABC News via logo
April 27, 2006, 6:11 PM

April 28, 2006 — -- Some people think it's impolite to talk about money. And those people, especially women, are usually underpaid.

To commemorate Equal Pay Day -- which is observed in April to indicate how far into each year a woman must work to earn as much as a man earned the previous year -- we partnered with Glamour magazine to tackle the topic of salary negotiation.

Glamour dubbed me the "raise fairy godmother" because I coached a group of women how to walk into the boss' office and walk out with raises. But in truth, there was no wand-waving involved: Everything that worked for them can work for you, too.

Keep this in mind: Men are four times more likely to negotiate first offers, which results in an average of $500,000 more in their paychecks by age 60. Don't miss out on money that could be yours simply because you're unwilling to negotiate.

Miral is a software developer who was making $65,000. She knew she was making less than colleagues in her field, and her boss promised to reconsider her salary at the end of the year. At that time, she completed a job that only she had the technical skills to handle. But the boss dropped the ball and didn't give her the raise.

Like so many women in this situation, Miral was nervous about rocking the boat. But this is business, not personal. She had to muster up her courage and ask for more money.

But first, she needed to research her market value. Then I told her to write down her talking points to the boss -- from the fact that she single-handedly aced the project that pleased the client to the fact that she's underpaid based on market demand for her skills. And to rehearse her pitch. It took a lot of prodding -- I knew she was intimidated -- but finally she did it, and I was so proud of her.

Result: Miral negotiated a $5,000 raise (or 7 percent -- double the national average) to boost her salary to $70,000, plus a $5,000 bonus.

Making $40,000 as a junior art director, Lindsay was bored and frustrated, but in her entry-level position, she didn't think she had a chance to improve her situation. She was even thinking of leaving and starting her own firm.