I’m sure everyone wants higher pay.
Alright so maybe that monk dwelling in the Himalayas wouldn’t want it. And maybe that kind-hearted volunteer working at the local animal shelter wouldn’t want it either.
But you get my drift; a higher pay’s appealing to almost everyone.
That also begets the question: How do I prove myself proficient enough to have the sheer audacity to ask for higher pay?
After all, it’s highly unlikely that an employer would favour an invaluable asset, right?
Right.
So as such, here are 10 ways to elevate your standing, so that you can convince your boss that you’re indeed worth investing in.
1. Voice Out Your Ideas
Unless you’re an absolute brainiac with a ridiculously high IQ, it’s unlikely that you’ll get far with a soft-spoken voice. After all, it’s a competitive society here.
As such, instead of keeping mum during meetings, try to elevate your reputation by sharing your ideas and expressing your opinion. Though of course, make sure to share impactful ideas. Irrelevant opinions are likely to just get you on the wrong side of the paycheck.
If you’re facing difficulties expressing yourself, however, you can always start small. Begin by offering suggestions to colleagues. After you’re more comfortable, you can take your ideas to group settings, and finally, to your boss!
2. Take Initiative At Work
It’s almost a given that you have to take initiative at work.
Just look around you. Those who’re taking initiative are running the office. They’re the ones commanding the high positions. The ones not taking initiative?
They’re the ones biting the dust (though not literally of course).
So maybe you should start considering taking initiative at work. You can begin by performing baby steps: start off with offering to help your colleagues whenever you’re free, then go on to do things that may benefit the company.
And the best part? It’s gonna benefit your personal life as well. When you see areas in your life that are not doing so well, initiative’s gonna drive you to correct those areas. Win-win situation.
3. Be Decisive
High-flyers are always portrayed as decisive in TV shows. They don’t beat around the bush; they don’t dilly dally with things. They think for a moment and they make a rational decision. On the spot.
But of course, you don’t just become a decisive high-flyer overnight. This takes practice. But the good thing? It can be cultivated.
You can start by making informed decisions about small things. Then carry it on to bigger and more vital decisions. Just remember: There are no correct decisions. There are only informed decisions.
Encountered a problem? Try coming up with simple solutions, before weighing the effectiveness of each. Thereafter, go with the most reasonable one!
4. Be Outstanding In What You Do
In life, we pay according to the quality of an object.
For instance, a cup of coffee prepared by yours truly could fetch as much as, say, S$0.10 outside. Yet, a cup of coffee by an established barista could fetch way more than that. Why do they differ so much?
Well, it’s really because of one thing: quality. And the same logic applies to your workplace.
If you’re constantly churning out good results, you’ll be perceived as a high-quality employee who merits higher pay. If you’re constantly churning out lacklustre results, you’ll be seen as a low-quality employee with relatively low value.
So aim to be outstanding in your respective field. And even if you’re not particularly talented, you can always rely on hard work.
As a Wise Old Man once said: “Outwork everyone else in the room if you have to.”
5. Value-add By Doing More
We’ve all faced that crippling notion: It’s not my responsibility. Why should I do it?
Well, I’m here to recommend that you should do it, not because you’re necessarily a good person but because of that fat salary check.
By value-adding of your own accord without any prompts, you’re showing that you have leadership qualities. And if anyone walks away with a fat salary check, it’s a leader.
So in essence, try to do more without anyone telling you to. But of course, do it in a way that benefits the company.
6. Upskill To Bring More To The Table
It’s easy to think, “Hey, I’ve learnt so much and am now prolific in my field. Time to take a break.”
Well, news flash; that’s the worst thing you could possibly do for yourself.
See, just as the saying “When you’re at your lowest, the only way is up” applies, the reverse hits true as well.
Once you stop learning, you automatically go on the decline.
And last I heard; bosses don’t exactly hand out pay raises to declining workers.
You don’t see ageing football players earning pay raises, do you?
So keep upskilling, and keep proving your worth. Show your employer that you’re only going to improve, and you’ll need an appropriate salary to fit that bill.
Some possible options to aid your learning journey are as follows:
- Ask thought-provoking questions
- Take online courses
- Attend seminars
- Read self-help books
- Learn from your superiors
Also, you can consider transforming your career with Smartcademy’s Data Analytics Course, a programme that would surely elevate your worth, given that everyone’s now talking about big data.
Suffice to say, if you don’t know anything about big data, you probably should upskill now.
7. Connections
There’s a reason why they say:
“Qualifications get you job interviews, but connections get you through doors.”
Make it a habit to build up rapport with your colleagues. Be that kind, helpful person everyone wants to be around. Once you’ve established your importance and presence in the company, your employer will be hard-pressed to let you go.
In addition, your colleagues could just put in a word or two for you too. When it comes to a pay raise, positive feedback could really turn the tide in your favour.
8. Communication
This one may come across as a tad bit self-explanatory, especially considering the headline you would’ve read on your way here, but nevertheless, I’m still obligated to expand upon it.
See, your employer isn’t a mind-reader, in the sense that they wouldn’t know about your dissatisfaction unless you voice it out.
So never hint at a pay raise in a passive-aggressive manner. Your employer’s too busy to really figure out the reason you’re behaving this way.
Instead, be straightforward with your superior. Let them know about the work you’ve been doing thus far.
As the saying goes: “It’s better to set the record straight than to wait for others to set it for you.”
What you might not know is that you can learn communication skills, and it’s not something in your genes. Read a book on communication skills, practice it in the real world and you’d be shocked at how easy it is.
9. Set Career Goals
If you crave a pay raise but feel unworthy to ask for it, setting career goals may be a good option.
For instance, you’ve never really paid heed to your Key Performance Index (KPI). Not because you’re lazy and unmotivated, but because you feel that whatever you do, you can’t achieve the bonus that comes with hitting your KPI.
So why bother, you wonder.
Well, here’s the thing. Make it a habit to hit that goal.
It doesn’t really matter whether you hit it in the end. What matters is that you’re taking steps to reach that goal.
In that sense, setting career goals really does encourage self-growth. And when you accomplish a decent goal, you can confidently tell yourself, at long last, that you’re deserving of a pay raise.
And make no mistake; bosses do notice such improvements. Or at least, that’s what they say.
10. Pick The Right Time
Like everything else, the right timing is key to securing your pay raise.
So maybe you’ve done every other point on this list to a perfect T. You’re also feeling capable, confident, and you’re just raring to go.
But is it the right time to ask for a pay raise?
For instance, the pandemic has proved to be a make-it-or-break-it for many organisations around the world. In fact, numerous companies, which were doing well before, had caved in.
Utterly horrifying stuff.
And so, unless you were working for a mask-distribution company or any organisation that thrived in such a situation, you’ll be hard-pressed to ask for a pay raise. Not because you’re incapable and undeserving of a raise, but because of sheer circumstances.
As such, wait for things to calm down before you venture with a request. Alternatively, you can wait for an important project to conclude before you ride on its success, or ask for a pay raise during your annual performance evaluation.
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But here’s the thing; you’ll have to apply fast. As of the current moment, their October and November slots are already selling like hotcakes.
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This article was first published on Goody Feed and written in collaboration with Smartcademy.
Featured Image: Shutterstock.com / ProStockStudio
