How to know when to ask for a raise: ‘Your salary is not top of mind to anyone else,' says expert

Many workers didn't get a raise at their job in the last few years.

Since the Great Resignation, which took place between 2021 and 2022, just 27% of workers who stayed with their employer saw a pay increase, according to ZipRecruiter's Q3 Job Seeker Confidence Survey.

That's been difficult with the high inflation in the past few years. Even now that inflation is down to 2.4%, a majority of middle class Americans, 65%, are struggling financially and don't expect that to change for the rest of their lives, according to a recent survey by the National True Cost of Living Coalition.

If you're hoping to get a raise in your current position, it's important to remember that "your salary is not top of mind to anyone else but you," says Angelina Darrisaw, career coach and founder of C-Suite Coach. "So you do have to raise the conversation so that your manager knows it's something that you are prioritizing."

Here's how to figure out the best moment.

Have 'what do I need to do' conversations often

To begin with, before you even bring up your ask, you'll have to get a sense of how you're doing.

"It's hard to ask for a raise when you don't have anything quantifiable to demonstrate that you deserve it," says Darrisaw. That's why you'll want to have a sense of "what quantifies as success? What should I be measuring myself against? What is meeting expectations here versus exceeding expectations here?" All of that will help you both know and make the case for why you deserve more money.

There's no wrong time to ask these questions, says Darrisaw. "I would have the 'what do I need to do' conversations as often as possible." You can tell your manager, for example, that you'd like to have those kinds of conversations quarterly.

It's also a good idea to keep track of your accomplishments on the job. This can be in the form of a brag sheet or a continuous resume — whatever it is, it will help make the case for why you've surpassed expectations.

'Know your company's budget time'

Once you know what success looks like and that you're exceeding it, you'll want to time your ask appropriately.

"It's important to first understand, where is the company going?" says Gorick Ng, a Harvard University career advisor and creator of the "How To Say It" flashcard series for professional communication. Are things going well, or has the company been going through a hiring freeze and maybe even layoffs? If the latter is true, "you may come across as tone deaf by coming forward with a big ask," he says.

Another thing you might want to get a sense of is the various cycles the company goes through, like performance review times. That might be a good moment to bring up your ask. "If you know your company's budget time and when they're going to be making decisions for the next fiscal year," that could also be a good moment to bring it up, says Darrisaw.

You can then reach out to your manager and say, "I want to talk about my performance and metrics of success and where I think I am," says Darrisaw, and add that you'd like to discuss "how I would like to see that celebrated and rewarded."

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