Asking for a raise: a practical script

Most people postpone the raise conversation for years, then have it once, badly, under frustration. The fix is preparation. What follows is the framework I coach friends through — unemotional, documented, and short.

Before: build the impact list

Two weeks before the conversation, start a document. Each line: what you did, and what it changed — in numbers your manager's manager would understand. "Took over reporting" is a task; "cut monthly reporting from three days to four hours" is impact. Aim for five to eight lines from the last year.

The number

Research the market band for your role and level, then ask for a single specific figure at or slightly above the band's middle. Ranges anchor negotiations to their floor. Say the number out loud in practice until it stops feeling like an apology.

The raise conversation is not about what you need. It is about what your work has already been worth.

The conversation itself

1. Request the meeting by purpose: "I'd like to discuss my compensation." No ambush.
2. Open with the impact list — two minutes, reading is fine.
3. State the number, then stop talking. Silence is not your problem to fill.
4. If the answer is maybe: ask what specifically would make it yes, and by when.

After: whatever the answer

Send a short recap the same day — what you asked, what was agreed, the follow-up date. A "not now" with a named review date in three to six months is a genuinely good outcome; it converts a vague hope into a scheduled event you can prepare for again.