Summary

The article outlines a strategic approach to requesting a promotion or raise by demonstrating additional commitment, preparing for a smooth transition, and reducing risks for the employer.

Abstract

The article provides a methodical strategy for employees seeking a promotion or raise. It suggests offering to work additional hours in the desired role without pay to demonstrate capabilities and commitment. The strategy includes preparing a list of potential replacements for the current position and creating detailed training materials to ensure a seamless transition. By going above and beyond, the employee aims to prove their value and readiness for advancement, thereby making it difficult for their boss to deny the request.

Opinions

The author believes that proving one's worth through extra unpaid work in the desired role is a persuasive way to secure a promotion or raise.
It is suggested that by offering to work for free, the employee shows dedication and ability, which should be recognized by the employer.
The article posits that providing solutions for filling the employee's current role after promotion is a key factor in making the advancement request appealing to the boss.
The author emphasizes the importance of making the transition period as risk-free and easy as possible for the employer, including offering to train the successor.
There is an underlying assumption that the boss will appreciate and reward the employee's initiative and effort in ensuring a smooth operational flow during the transition.

A Simple Strategy to Ask for a Raise or Promotion— and Actually Get It

Okay, so you’re ready for the next level. You’re confident you can do the work, and possibly even improve some things if you had the chance. So now what?

You strongly believe you’re worth the promotion or due a raise. But what do you do? How do you go about asking your boss to boost your platform and possibly your paycheck? Well, there’s actually a pretty foolproof method to prove your worth and pave your way forward. It may not be easy at first, but I would be shocked if this doesn’t work. No boss would want to cower in the face of the facts and honest rationale you’re about to present as to why you’re ready for the next steps of your career. Here’s a brief letter or conversation starter I’ve drafted to help get you started.

First, Just Hear Me Out

Dear Boss, I wanted to inquire about the possibilities for advancement from my current position to a higher level. I know you might be thinking oh, I’m just power and profit hungry, but no that’s actually not it at all. You see, I have some ideas I think would be really valuable if I could share them in a greater way. In addition, I’d love to help be part of making a bigger better impact here as we all strive for the same shared goals and share a similar vision. And you have nothing to worry about, no risks. So first, just hear me out.

For the next three months, I’ll work for free for an additional 5–8hrs per week on tasks and projects of the position I’d like to be accepted for. I’ll continue to fulfill my regular duties to my optimal abilities as usual. I’ll prove to you with my extra dedicated time and support in this role that I can be successful, that I will add value, and in fact, I will make things better. You can talk to the rest of the team and see what they think as well. No questions asked, full transparency.

Following this ask, the only way you would get rejected is due to a true lack of autonomy your boss may have to help take you to the top, or perhaps he or she is just ignorant and dismisses golden opportunities.

Once you show your desire, your grit, your personal abilities to own that role, no one can turn you down. You’ve shown your credibility, you’ve proven yourself worthy, and it’s going to be awfully difficult for your boss to say, “I don’t think you’re a right fit.”

You’ve clearly demonstrated your determination to rise above and conquer the challenge at hand. Now, that boss has clarity on your performance potential and true confidence in your abilities to take on that new position. This path to promotion poses no risks, and presents no new problems to your boss’s agenda. What would your boss ever have to lose other than their own common sense perhaps?

Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

But that’s not all, you’re not done just yet.

Think about what would happen if your current position was lost, that’s a whole new headache for your boss to figure out. We all know hiring can be tedious, time consuming, and sometimes even emotionally exhausting interviewing candidate after candidate.

So step a mile in your boss’s shoes, what’s their next problem to solve if they do promote you? Filling your old position.

And here’s what you do — you solve that for them too. Again, remember, you don’t want to add any more risks, headaches, or tasks on your boss’s agenda. You don’t want to rock the boat at all. You want this to be as seamless as a gondola ride through the river streets of Venice.

Think ahead and have a replacement in mind or a couple recommendations lined up for you to provide to your boss to expedite the hiring process, that way you make their job just that much easier.

Go ahead and make a short list of worthy internal colleagues that could take on your old duties or go ahead and put out a couple whispers on LinkedIn for people in your network that would be a great fit and whom you know would make for a successful hire and great addition to the team. If you have policies and procedures surrounding hiring that prevent you from doing this, just skip this step and move forward with the next.

Prepare for Training

Think long and hard about your current position’s responsibilities.

Go even one step farther by writing up your job description and given responsibilities if you don’t already have a working standard operating procedure (SOP) for your position, write one. Use video screen capturing to film step-by-step tutorials of your work. Use screen shots and cutouts with additional detailed descriptions as much as you need to. Make this so easy for the next hire that they never have to call your boss for help.

Continue showing value by highlighting this as an unprecedented risk-free guarantee transition by offering to help train and mentor your successor for the first 10 weeks of their position. You’ll be available to answer questions, provide helpful advice, streamline workflows with handy shortcuts and strategies to help them succeed in that position as they develop their own competency and confidence in your old position.

Summary

Offer free work in the new role
Offer good hire recommendations
Offer step-by-step guidance for support
Offer free time for additional training and troubleshooting

These are the simple steps you can take to build a robust case for your promotion or increase in pay.

Guess what, it’ll be time intensive for a while — yes. But, you’ll be in your desired role, receiving the pay you want and taking on the responsibilities you’ve always known you would be great at. And your boss will truly love you after seeing all that you’ve accomplished just because you stepped forward and asked, dedicated your time and worthwhile effort preparing for this advance in your career. You’ve not only added value to the overall shared mission of the company or organization, you’ve flawlessly taken the pressure off your boss, limited any extra headaches or worries they might have had when you initially brought up the conversation and proved — without a doubt that your boss can count on you now, and into the future.

Alt Title: A Foolproof Guide to Ask for a Raise or Promotion — and Actually Get It.