Four Tips to Help You Get a Good Raise

I have gotten very few raises in my life. Now, before you go and say, "Well, you need to be a better employee!"... you should know that's not true.  In today's day and age, raises are not automatic, especially BIG raises. At most companies, you won't even have a chance of getting a big raise unless you ASK for one. If you're not good at that kind of thing, "Men's Health" has some tips to help.

#1.)   Wait Until You've Done Something Good. Obviously that's the best time to bring it up.  But don't just barge into his office and ask for more money.  Send him an email and set up a meeting to talk.

#2.)  Find Out How Much You Could Make if You Went Somewhere Else. Before you actually sit down to discuss it, find out how much OTHER people with your job are making by checking PayScale.com, Salary.com, or Glassdoor.com. That way, you'll have a better idea of what to ask for, and you'll know if the raise you WANT is realistic.

#3.)  Know When to Be Quiet. When you finally sit down to talk about it, sometimes the best approach is letting your BOSS talk.  For example, if he says he was planning to give you a four percent raise, just repeat the phrase "four percent," then shut up.

#4.)  Be Persistent. Even if you DESERVE a raise, it doesn't mean you'll get one.  If they say no, just tell them you'll bring it back up in a few months. That way, they know that they can't just forget about it.  And it might even give you a better chance of being promoted if a position opens up.