How to negotiate a raise.

ASK for it!

 It's rare that women, in particular, ask for a raise the second they feel like they are entitled to it. They tend to wait for "the right moment". But really, there is never a right moment. Which is why you just need to do it. Unfortunately, as most of you already know, the system will take advantage of you if you let it. Especially you hard working minorities that don't feel entitled. I am you. So I understand.

I work in the beauty industry, on the corporate side, and have been handed over managerial duties without the title or promotion twice in my career. My Caucasian manager went on maternity leave, never came back, and yet I assumed the roles & responsibilities without a raise or title change. Occurrences such as this has delayed my advancement year after year. It aggregately consumes my lack of wealth.

So my advice is, from direct experience:

1. Ask for that raise and title IMMEDIATELY after your manager is gone
2. SERVE them a list, in email form, of your latest achievements and your "BROADER SCOPE OF WORK" - key words
3. Ask for approximately 10k-25k more than what you are making (this is considered a promotional raise). A 5k raise is simply a performance raise that most people are given. So ask for more!
4. If they say no, ask that they reconsider in one to two months.
5. If the company says no to a review in a few months, immediately start looking elsewhere. If you find something, you can use that offer as a negotiation tool to get the salary you want. Make sure you only present it if you are 100% comfortable with a rejection, which would mean you leave to your new company
6. If you leave to another company, change is good and BRAVE. So bravo, boss.

OTHER side tactics include:

1. Attempting to get as much face time w/ higher-ups that can advocate for you for a new position or salary increase
2. Chat with the CEO from time to time, even if it is just about the weather, SHE gets the final say eventually

If you are wondering how I faire with these tactics, on average I have received 10k salary increases at most. But I am certain you can do better than me! I also tend to job-bounce frequently to make up for the low salary I made as a younger impressionable babe that would do anything for less money. Each time I change companies, I increase my salary another 5-10k.

xo Annabella