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How many months or even years have you spent promising yourself that you would finally ask for that big promotion? Start your New Year’s Resolution early for 2017, and plan ahead with these tips on how to ask your boss for the raise you deserve:

Asking is an Art Form

There’s a way to go about asking for what you want. Think of yourself as a salesperson, and your boss as a buyer. Why should he or she want to buy what you’re selling? You need to show your employer that you’re deserving of a raise. Put yourself in their position before you go in for the kill. Having a good ROI is everyone’s bottom line, so you need to convince your supervisor that granting you a better position will ultimately be better for their business.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Getting your work examples together is imperative – you need visual aids to showcase your skills. Go the extra mile; put together charts and graphics of how company revenue and/or customer satisfaction has increased since your time with the company. Show positive results from projects you’ve managed. Bosses don’t always take the time to notice what you’ve done over the past year, so you have to show them.

Practice Makes Perfect

Rehearse your pitch in the mirror, with friends and/or with family members. Practicing your speech will calm your nerves and give you the confidence you need to move forward with asking for what you want.

Ask at the Right Time

It should go without saying, but don’t ask your boss for a raise when he or she is in a bad mood! Weigh the pros and cons of asking them at that moment – are they stressing over client accounts? Upset that they lost their golf game over the weekend? Bosses are human beings too, so ask for your raise at the best possible time.

Regardless of whether you get the promotion or not, bosses generally respect employees who ask for what they want and need. Maybe you don’t get it this time, but you probably will next time. Good luck!

Tags: ask for a raise, careers, job advice, promotion, raise