How to Ask for a Raise

A raise conversation goes better when it is built on evidence, timing, and a clear ask, not a sudden burst of courage during a chaotic Tuesday.

Here is the good news: asking for more money is not a personality test you either pass or fail. It is a small project. You gather proof, you pick a sensible moment, and you say one clear sentence out loud. The nerves do not disappear, but they stop running the meeting. Let's build the version of this that actually works.

1. Time it on purpose

The single biggest mistake is timing the ask around your stress instead of the company's rhythm. Ambushing your manager between two fires rarely lands. Pick a moment when your value is fresh and your manager has room to think.

• Right after you finished or shipped something visible.
• During a scheduled one-on-one or a planned check-in, not a hallway drive-by.
• A few weeks before budget or review season, while decisions are still being made.
• Not the day a big deal fell through or layoffs hit the news. Read the room.

If you are unsure when budgets get set, ask a low-stakes question first: "When does the team usually finalize compensation for the year?" That one line tells you when to come back loaded.

2. Build the evidence folder

Open a doc today and call it your raise packet. Every time something good happens, drop it in. By the time you ask, you are not reaching for examples — you are reading from a list.

• Responsibilities you have taken on since your last pay change.
• Results with numbers where you have them: time saved, revenue, tickets closed, errors cut.
• Praise and wins: a thank-you email, a happy client, a project that shipped on you.
• Market notes: roughly what your role pays now (more on that below).
• The range you want, in dollars, so you are never caught improvising a number.

For Canadian wage benchmarks by role and region, the federal Job Bank is a solid, free starting point — it keeps your number grounded in something real rather than a feeling.

3. Connect wins to business value

This is where most asks quietly deflate. "I work hard" is true and completely unprovable. Your manager cannot take "I work hard" to their boss. Give them ammunition instead. Show impact, not just activity.

Notice the second version does the manager's homework for them. It is concrete, it ties to something the business cares about, and it is impossible to wave away as vague enthusiasm.

4. The conversation script

You do not need a speech. You need three sentences and the nerve to stop talking after them. Silence is not your enemy here — it is your leverage. Say your ask, then let it sit.

Swap X, Y and Z for your three strongest items from the packet. If your manager asks for a number, give your range, anchored to the top: "Based on the scope and what the role pays in our market, I'm looking at the X to Y range." Then breathe and wait for them to respond.

5. If the answer is "not yet"

A "not yet" is not a "no" — it is missing information. Your job is to turn a soft maybe into a written plan with a date on it. Stay warm, stay specific.

Now you have a target instead of a vibe. Send a short, friendly recap email the same day so the agreement exists in writing. That follow-up is not pushy — a follow-up is professional signal, and it quietly makes the next conversation much harder to dodge.