How to Ask for a Raise or Promotion

Asking for a raise or promotion can feel uncomfortable, but it’s a normal part of a career. Managers often expect these conversations, and a well-prepared request is professional, not pushy. The key is to make a clear case based on evidence and to treat it as a conversation, not a demand.

Step 1: Know what you’re asking for

Be specific about your goal:

• A raise in your current role, because your contributions or the market rate have grown.
• A promotion to a defined higher role with new responsibilities.
• A title or scope change that reflects work you’re already doing.

Look at your organization’s job levels or descriptions if they exist. Knowing what the next role requires helps you show you’re already working at that level.

Step 2: Gather your evidence

Pull out the wins list you’ve been keeping (if you haven’t, start one now). Look for:

• Results: goals met or exceeded, problems solved, time or cost saved, quality improved.
• Scope: new responsibilities, larger projects, people you train or lead.
• Feedback: praise from customers, coworkers, or your manager.
• Growth: new skills, certifications, or training completed.

Turn the strongest items into short statements. For example: “Since March I’ve trained four new team members and taken over weekly scheduling, which was previously handled by the shift lead.”

Step 3: Research typical pay

Use public sources to understand typical pay for your role, experience level, and location. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data by occupation and area, and CareerOneStop offers a salary lookup tool. Some states also require pay ranges in job postings, which can help you see what employers list for similar roles.

Use our Hourly ↔ Salary Converter to compare hourly and annual figures on the same basis.

Decide on a reasonable target range before the conversation.

Step 4: Choose the right moment

Timing matters. Good moments include:

• During or shortly before a scheduled performance review.
• Before the organization sets its budget for the next year.
• After you’ve completed a major project or taken on new duties.

Avoid moments when your manager is clearly stressed or when the organization has just announced cutbacks.

Ask for a dedicated meeting rather than raising it in passing: “I’d like to set up some time to talk about my growth here. Do you have 30 minutes next week?”

Step 5: Plan the conversation

A simple structure:

1. Open with appreciation and purpose. “I’ve really valued the chance to grow here, and I’d like to talk about my role and compensation.”
2. Share your evidence. Two or three of your strongest examples.
3. Make your request. “Based on these responsibilities and the market range for this role, I’d like to discuss a raise to around [amount]” or “I’d like to be considered for the [role] position.”
4. Invite discussion. “What are your thoughts?” Then listen.

Practice out loud beforehand. Keep your tone calm and collaborative.

Step 6: Handle the response

If the answer is yes

Thank your manager, confirm the details and timing in writing, and keep delivering.

If the answer is “not yet”

This is common and not a failure. Ask:

• “What would you need to see from me to make this possible?”
• “Can we agree on specific goals and a time to revisit this?”

Write down the criteria, send a short recap email, and schedule a follow-up. Then work toward those goals and track your progress.

If the answer is no

Ask for the reasoning and whether there are other forms of growth available, such as training, a schedule change, a new project, or a title change. Then consider what you want long term. Sometimes the best next step is a role somewhere else, and the preparation you’ve done will help with that, too.

Sample wording you can adapt

If you are not sure how to phrase your request, start from one of these and make it your own:

• For a raise in your current role: “Over the past year I’ve taken on scheduling for the whole team and cut overtime hours on my shift. Based on that and the typical range for this role in our area, I’d like to discuss moving my pay to around [amount].”
• For a promotion: “I’ve been covering many of the shift lead’s duties since the spring, including opening, training, and weekly reports. I’d like to be considered for the shift lead role when it’s available, and I’d like to know what you’d want to see from me first.”
• For a title change: “My work has shifted mostly to coordinating vendors and orders. I’d like to talk about whether a coordinator title would better reflect the role.”

Keep your sentences short, use real examples, and stop talking once you have made your request. Silence while your manager thinks is normal.

Mistakes to avoid

• Making it about personal expenses. Rent and bills are real, but focus your case on the value you bring and the market rate for the work.
• Comparing yourself to a named coworker. Talk about your own contributions instead.
• Issuing an ultimatum you are not ready to follow through on.
• Asking with no preparation. A few evenings of gathering evidence makes the conversation easier for both of you.

Your next step

Start or update your wins list this week, then look up typical pay for your role in your area. Those two steps give you everything you need for a confident conversation.