by Author and Speaker Laura Fredricks

You have worked hard; extra hours; taken on other people's work; never complained; were praised by your boss's boss for your work; and you just received a great performance review. It is prime time for you to ASK for a raise. HOW you ASK for a raise makes all the difference between a "maybe," "let's wait a few months" and a "serious consideration on the spot."

Take the example of Kristen. She is an electrical engineer in an all male office. Over the past few years she brought in more business than her co-workers yet her raises have been moderate and not reflective of her work product or the value to the company. She asked me what she should do since she thought asking for a $35,000 raise would be too much. We did some job analysis on her field and her geographic location, and it was clear she was not being paid her worth and that $35,000 would bring her to exactly where she should be. I shared with her some specific tips and language she could use when asking for the raise as well as traps to avoid that do not amount to an ASK and here they are:

Always ASK for a Specific Amount

I have managed many people over the course of my career and very few came out with the amount they wanted. Most said "I have done so much extra work and I think I should be rewarded." Ok I recognize you isn't that a reward? Don't fall into the trap of leaving your raise amount a guessing game, state: "As you know I have brought in 10 new clients which has helped our company grow and attracted new business. I am here today to ASK you for a $35,000 raise effective the next pay cycle." Your boss needs the exact dollar amount to make a decision. That will put you in the position to get an answer in the very near future as opposed to a few months from now. Also put in your ASK when you want the raise. In this example it is the next pay cycle.

Prepare what you might hear in response

One of the best ways you can ASK way to your new raise is to be prepared for any and all possible reactions. I told Kristen to write down anything that comes to mind that her boss may say such as:

-This is way too much

-We have never given anyone that amount

-If I give you a raise everyone else in the department will want one

-The budget is tight this year

-We may be able to do this in the next quarter

-We hired you at a higher rate than your co-workers so a raise would make it unequitable to their pay scales

Then she could write down her response to each so that she would not be caught off guard. Preparation wins the day. When you are prepared you are confident and when you are confident you make your best ASK.

Get a date for your next meeting at the ASK meeting

Rarely will your boss say on the spot, "yes" "sure" "works for me" because depending on the size of your organization, it takes time, layers of review, and sometime human resources to consider. Kristen deserves her answer sooner rather than later but if you wait for your boss to get back to you it maybe months. So after she makes her ASK I told her to say: "Thank you I know this is an important decision can we meet next week on Thursday so we can keep things moving along and please let me know if you need anything else from me." No matter what you hear always thank your boss, get a date on the calendar so that your ASK will be considered as soon as possible and add that you stand ready to help any way you can. This way you look and sound prepared, confident, and willing to assist your boss with any back up information needed.

Follow these steps and ASK your way to your best raise. Kristen did. Initially her boss said no, then she began looking for another job and did get a job offer at a higher salary than her current position. She shared with her current boss that she really did not want to leave but there were other positions paying much more than her current salary and with 2 children ages 8 and 10, salary was her priority. Her boss now fearful he would lose agreed to give her a $30,000 raise.

Great ASK and Great Results! So, Why NOT ASK?

Asking for a raise can be very emotional because you are evaluating your contribution to the organization, assessing your worth, guessing and second-guessing whether your boss will agree or disagree with your request. And then what will you do if she says no to your ASK for the raise?

Quite simply, everyone deserves to get paid for the value of their work. This is very similar to asking for a new job title. The raise reflects the true value of the work you are performing and by industry standards, or company policies, you should receive the requested level of compensation. I think it would be valuable to look at the common reasons why we do not ask for a raise:

1. It is a challenging economy and now is not the time to ASK.
2. It I ASK, then everyone else in the department will want a raise.
3. It may signal that, if I don't receive a raise, I will leave and then I am a less valuable employee.
4. I was hired at a higher rate than they wanted to offer me, so maybe I should wait.
5. The raise will put me above others in my department. That may cause bad feelings internally.

It is very hard not to hear these voices in your head or other reasons when you want to muster all the confidence you have and ask for extra money in your salary. Once you go through the exercise in turning negative thoughts about your ASK into positive, passionate statements, you will be in the position of asking from strength, not self-doubt. Remember, when you ask for a raise you are not asking for a ''favor,'' you are asking for the fair value of your work performance!

Still unsure "How to A$K for Money - and MORE of It"? Visit www.EXPERTonTHEASK.com or simply, follow on Twitter at Just ASK LAURA How!

 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

CACC Customer Service: 1-800-763-1874

Do you know someone who would benefit from money management strategies and information?