“Don’t brag.”

“Stop talking about yourself.”

“Well, SHE sounds overconfident!”

Have you ever had one of these thoughts?

They could be what is holding you back from your next big salary increase OR your next big promotion (or both!!)

Here’s are two things that we often forget:

The person who cares the most about your career is…you. Yes, I know I just stated the obvious, but women especially tend to think about the greater good, and forget about themselves. Asking for something never got you fired. When was the last time you heard someone say: “Well – he asked for a salary review so we had to let him go…”

Exaaaaactly.

So, in our efforts to show up as the good girl, as the nice person, and not as the over confident weenie who just annoys people we often fail to get paid what we are worth, or, more importantly, get in line for that next good promotion!

Your manager may think you are amazing, but they still have 100 other things going through their mind (meetings, strategy, what to have for lunch). They don’t know everything you are up to day-to-day, and your salary and your career is not their #1 priority.

It’s your salary… and your career.

But you can do a few things to help you stand-out, make your case, and accelerate your earnings. And do it without annoying people, or feeling *too* uncomfortable.

Start keeping a success record of everything that you do that is awesome. Deals you close, partnerships you forge, ideas you have that get implemented. Whatever is important to you in your chosen career field. Update that list weekly. Put a tickler on your calendar on Monday or Friday to do that. Take 15 minutes and jot down the great things that you have accomplished (Bonus: it will make you feel great! And you will show up at work with more confidence in yourself). Review that list regularly – highlight the things that are really important. Underline the things that are well out of your area of responsibility – the stuff you did that made you go above and beyond.

When it comes time for a salary review (or promotion discussion) – pull out this list ahead of time. Think through what you want to highlight to your boss, and why what you did was impactful to your company or firm. (“I changed the way we processed X – we saved 20% of our budget because of it!” “I booked XYZ amount of new business – growing our portfolio by 30% – more than anyone else in this business unit” “I made 4 new connections and partnerships, increasing our ability to do Y – something we have never been able to do before!”).

In addition:

Do your research – learn what others in your field at your level make (ideally through conversation, but also go to glassdoor.com and salary.com and look at salaries for open positions in your field). Know what you are worth in your industry.

Have a conversation that is respectful and open. Say something like: “As you can see, I have been making a much larger impact/commitment and I’m excited to grow with the firm. Based on this, I would love to talk to you about doing a salary review to see if I merit an increase.” Or “I would love to talk to you about what the road to promotion could look like for me. Can we schedule some time to sit down and chat – I want to know what I could be doing more of – or what else I should focus on to grow.”

Ultimately, the answer may be no. And that is ok – you have gotten on your boss’s radar for your performance (and polite way of asking for a review – not a raise, but a review! Important distinction here, where you put the perceived power in their hands), and they are now thinking about your salary and how you fit. But if you don’t ask, the answer is MOST CERTAINLY no. And that leaves you…right where you are now.

What are you going to do about it?

We are going to be talking about salary on my next CAREER HAPPY HOUR (whohoo!) – it’s a FREE chance to get some personal advice – so if you want to know more, listen in, or ask a question then just register here..

Talk soon!

Christie

TheRevolutionaryClub.com is dedicated to helping others with personal and group coaching. If you are feeling stuck in your career and need immediate answers, sign up for their free Career Happy Hour! at www.911careercall.com.