Do you need a raise, but doubt you can make a strong case to your supervisor? Don’t sell yourself short! If what you’re asking for is less costly than hiring and training a replacement, you have some leverage. Plus, you’ve got the other half of that cryptic old treasure map your supervisor has been desperately trying to decode. Here’s our guide to getting more money, even if you’re not able to offer much more than this part of the map with an X on it:
First things first: You gotta ask for it!
A recent Elle survey found that 53 percent of women had never negotiated a raise in their lives. But you’ll never know your earning potential if you don’t ask! And it’s that – the not-knowing – that’s really been eating away at your supervisor as she frantically searches for any clue that might lead her to that buried treasure.
Have a list of your recent accomplishments at the ready.
If you’ve contributed to a successful project, don’t be afraid to take credit! You’ve already achieved the most impressive accomplishment of all: partial map-having. If Aimee wants to read those redacted news articles from the week her parents died, she’ll definitely recommend that 4% raise to management. And keep those little French cookies coming, Aimee. The ones you like. She knows.
Empathize with your supervisor’s position.
It may be “just business,” but every business is made up of human beings just like you. Aimee has feelings, too; she’s had trouble sleeping ever since that unnerving encounter with the handsome son of the man in prison for killing her parents. The more she digs, the less sense anything makes. This is your opportunity to offer her a shred of understanding, in the form of a shred of paper that explains all those weird symbols. You’ll earn her trust and appreciation, and that could mean paid sick days!
Don’t immediately take the first offer.
As women, we’re conditioned to stay pleasant and sweet above all else, and sometimes that means we end the negotiation without exploring all our options. Make sure you don’t just blurt out “The statue! They’re under that statue you’re always admiring!” when Aimee offers you a better parking spot instead of a raise.
You’re as good as your other options.
There are plenty of folks in this city who’d love to make sure the past stays buried. You could always go to them. Sure, that nightclub owner who brings his bird everywhere was giving you a real “As soon as I get that map, I’m gonna kill you” vibe, but Aimee doesn’t know that – and having a fallback plan allows you to stay calm and in control if things aren’t going your way.
Don’t get too greedy.
Aimee tried to warn you, “You need to stop, you have no idea what these people are capable of,” but you thought it was just a stalling tactic to keep you from demanding a new desk chair. This is why you shouldn’t have made waves in the first place.
Accept your fate. You had to have known this was a possibility.
With the peaceful clarity that only comes from being truly doomed, just hand over the map in one last-ditch attempt to streamline Aimee’s workflow. Wish her luck as you’re dragged away. Congratulations! You’ve negotiated a raise!
