A friend recently told me that he was expecting a raise soon simply because I havent gotten one in the last 2 years. There was no direct reason no one had told him about this supposed upcoming raise, and he hadnt done anything major in the last few months to expect one. He simply expected that one would come, particularly because he hadnt received one in his entire 2 years there.

I always wonder about this kind of thinking because, from the way I see it, employers are never lining up to give people more money. If youre waiting around for your boss to give you a raise for no specific reason, youre going to be waiting for a long time. A raise doesnt come simply because youve worked somewhere for a specific amount of time or because you havent received one you have to earn a raise and, even when you do, you probably still have to ask for it.

Its no secret that an employer is going to try to pay you as little as possible. I dont mean this in a mean way Im just saying that they arent going to go out of their way to pay you more than they have to, simple as that. This especially applies to those of you waiting on that raise you havent received yet. Think about it why would your boss give you more money to do the same exact job? What would be in it for them? Whether youre deserving of a raise or not, its not going to come at the drop of a hat.

Employers are not looking to give away money that they dont have to, so if you continue to wait for them to offer you one, you may be waiting a while. If you think you deserve a raise, let your boss know and give your specific reasons. This can include examples where you have increased productivity, saved them money or even how you trained new employees.
Providing specific reasons is the key to getting your pay increase.
Remember everyone wants more pay and greater benefits. A pay rise is just like a negotiation. You have to provide something in return to receiving something. If you can prove to your employer that you are worthy of a pay increase your employee is more likely to give you one. One last thing. If you feel you deserve a pay rise and have evidence to support your argument, dont be afraid to ask for it.

A lot of people sit quietly and say nothing to avoid rocking the boat, and they have the mindset that a pay rise will eventually happen on its own. Dont let this happen to you. You deserve to get paid as much as you can.

Gavin is the founder of RedStarResume, a business that provides resume and cover letter writing services for students, graduates and young professionals. RedStarResume Publications www.redstarresume.com/ Follow our blog: www.redstarresumeblog.blogspot.com/ Follow us on twitter! www.twitter.com/RedStarResume.