How to talk to your manager about promotion / raise?

Welcome! Asking for a promotion or raise isn’t just about asking for more money or a new title—it’s about positioning yourself on the right path in your tech career.

Trust me, the harder part is to decide if you’re ready for a promotion or not. And once you do make the choice, put confidence in your decision. That way, navigating the conversation with your manager becomes as normal as any other day at work.

Here’s my golden rule, think about what they want and they’ll naturally help you achieve what you want. Learn to align your achievements with your organisation’s goals and articulate your contributions in a way that resonates with their KPIs.

In my personal experience, you can divide this whole arrangement into a five-step process to make sure that your case is undeniable. We’ll start by prepping you and scheduling the conversation with your manager.

And once you handle the objectives of your talk, we’ll follow-up and get you your raise.

Step I. Preparation

Self-Assessment: Remember, this prep isn’t about listing your achievements. It’s about understanding the value you bring to your team and how you’ve grown in your role – and how to best articulate those to your manager.

1. Achievements: Start by listing your significant accomplishments. Think about projects you’ve led or contributed to significantly, and any problems you’ve solved. For instance, if you developed a new feature that improved user engagement by X%, note that.
2. Skills: Reflect over how you’ve developed your skills over time. Have you learned new programming languages, frameworks, or tools? Or attended any workshops? Well, if you were from Codeop, you could’ve finished one of our many online coding bootcamps.
3. Contributions: Beyond your achievements, think about your daily contributions. Are you a go-to person for troubleshooting? Do you mentor junior team members?

Gathering Evidence: Next, it’s time to gather evidence that supports your case. The evidence should be specific, measurable, and directly tied to your contributions.

1. Key Metrics: This could include sales numbers, project timelines, performance reviews, client feedback, or relevant KPIs.
2. Collect Testimonials: Gather positive feedback from colleagues, clients, or supervisors. My advice? Include a specific quote from a coworker about your leadership on a successful project or a client’s appreciation.
3. Document Your Achievements: Create a document that outlines everything we have collected. Include charts, graphs, and screenshots if they help illustrate your points more effectively.

Understanding Your Superior’s/Company’s Needs: Ensure that your expectations for a promotion or raise align with industry standards. This means researching what similar roles are being paid and their responsibilities.

1. Research Industry Salaries: Use resources like Glassdoor, PayScale, and industry-specific salary surveys to determine what others in your role and region earn.
2. Review Job Descriptions: Look at job postings for roles similar to yours. This can give you an idea of what responsibilities and skills are expected at higher levels.
3. Network with Peers: Talk to colleagues and peers in the industry to get a sense of what’s typical regarding career progression and compensation. Reddit is a great source for this as it helps everyone maintain their anonymity.

Step II. Scheduling the Conversation

Choosing the Right Time: Timing is critical when sensitive subjects. You want to ensure that your manager is receptive and that the company’s financial situation can support your request.

1. Consider Business Cycles: Avoid busy periods like the end of the fiscal year, major project deadlines, or any times when your manager might be under significant stress.
2. Align with Performance Reviews: If possible, tie your discussion to your regular performance review. This is a natural time to discuss your achievements and future goals. Be sure to dictate the conversation your way.

This could be achieved by telling your manager something like “with my annual review coming up, I think it’s a great opportunity to discuss my contributions and career progression.”

1. Gauge Your Manager’s Schedule: Choose when your manager will likely be less busy and more open to a detailed conversation. This might mean scheduling the meeting a week or two in advance.

Setting an Agenda: Informing your manager about the purpose of the meeting will make sure that they also come prepared with the right mindset for the talk.

1. Provide Context: Don’t outright say that you wish for a promotion or raise but don’t be too vague about it either. You could say that you want to schedule a meeting to “pick your manager’s brain about career progression / career advice.”
2. Suggest a Format: Propose a structure for the meeting to keep it focused and productive. For example, you might start with a review of your contributions, followed by your request and a discussion of next steps.

Step III. Conducting the Conversation

This is the most crucial step. As someone who has seen both ends of the spectrum – as an employee hoping for a raise, and as an employer conducting performance reviews, I have noticed a certain pattern.

Most people focus too much on explaining WHY they deserve the promotion / raise. This comes from a place of insecurity, but not for you. You have prepared your case well so be confident.

Tell your manager that you’re interested in a promotion and think that you’re ready for it. Ask them for their thoughts on your progress and readiness. And if there’s a suitable role for you to take on.

Instead of giving your reasonings as an underling, be assertive and confident.

Starting the Discussion: Begin positively and professionally to set the right tone.

1. Open with Appreciation: Start by expressing gratitude for the opportunities you’ve had and the support from your manager.
2. State Your Intentions Clearly: Be upfront about the purpose of the meeting. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Articulating Your Case: Once the conversation is underway, present your case clearly, concisely, and compellingly.

1. Highlight Key Achievements: Start by mentioning your significant achievements and how they’ve contributed to the team and the company’s success.

“Over the past year, I led the development of [specific project], which resulted in a 20% increase in user engagement. Additionally, I implemented [specific feature], reducing customer support tickets by 15%.”

1. Discuss Progress and Contributions: Talk about your new skills and certifications. Highlight your daily contributions and how you consistently add value to the team.

Discussing Aspirations: This part of the conversation concerns aligning your career goals with the company’s objectives.

1. Align with Company Goals: Show how your contributions align with the company’s goals and how you can continue to add value in the future.
2. Share Your Aspirations: Discuss your career aspirations. Be very assertive here to showcase your confidence. Don’t be vague when asking for a raise.
3. Seek Feedback: Invite feedback from your manager on how you can continue to grow and contribute.

Step IV. Handling Objections

Anticipating Challenges: Don’t panic at any point. We prepared so much so we could anticipate your manager’s potential objections.

1. Identify Possible Objections: Consider why your manager might hesitate to give you a promotion or raise. This could include budget constraints, company policies, or performance concerns.
2. Prepare Your Responses: Develop strategic responses that address these concerns while maintaining a constructive and forward-looking tone.

Strategic Responses: When addressing objections, remain calm, professional and focused on finding a solution that works for all relevant parties.

1. Acknowledge the Objection: It shows that you’re listening and taking their feedback seriously.
2. Find a Solution: Demonstrate why your request is justified. Otherwise, propose alternative ways to recognize your contributions.

Step V. Following Up

Regardless of the immediate outcome of the meeting, take steps to maintain momentum and keep the dialogue open.

1. Send a Thank-You Email: Send a follow-up email thanking your manager for their time and summarising the key points discussed.
2. Document the Discussion: Keep a record of what was discussed, including any commitments made by your manager and the next steps. Follow up on those commitments if they made any.