Most people walk into a salary conversation with a vague sense that they deserve more and no number in mind. That's the first mistake, and it's an expensive one. A 20% raise isn't an aggressive ask when it's backed by evidence and timed well. It's simply the outcome of preparation most people skip. Here's how to approach the conversation with a number, a case, and a plan for whatever your manager says back.
Know Your Number Before You Walk In
Before you say a word to your manager, you need two things: a market benchmark and a personal impact tally.
Start with the benchmark. Sites like Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, and LinkedIn Salary Insights show what people in your role, location, and experience level actually earn. Payscale is useful too, especially for roles outside tech. Pull a range, not a single figure, and note where you sit within it based on your tenure and scope.
Then translate your work into numbers. "I did a great job this year" doesn't move a budget conversation. "I reduced onboarding time by 30%" or "I brought in $180,000 in new client revenue" does. Go back through your calendar and project history and pull out anything measurable: revenue generated, costs cut, time saved, headcount managed, systems built. If a number isn't available, use a proxy — projects shipped, clients retained, tickets closed faster than the team average.
By the time you're done, you should be able to state your value in one sentence with a number in it. That sentence is your anchor for the whole conversation.
Build a Case, Not a Complaint
A raise conversation framed around what you've earned lands differently than one framed around what you're owed. Keep a running document of wins as they happen, not a scramble the week before your review. Screenshot the Slack message where your manager called out your work. Save the client email that thanked you by name. Note the time a peer credited you in a meeting.
This isn't about padding a case with fluff. It's about having receipts ready so your manager isn't relying on memory, which tends to favor whatever happened most recently rather than what mattered most across the year.
Timing Changes Everything
The same request lands differently depending on when you make it. Bring up a raise during the actual budget planning window for your team, not on a random Tuesday when your manager has no room to maneuver. Most companies set compensation budgets weeks or months before the review cycle itself, so raising the topic early, even informally, gives your manager time to build your ask into that planning.
Also read the broader context. A quarter of layoffs or a hiring freeze is a hard environment for any raise, let alone 20%. A strong quarter, a funding round, or your team hitting a major goal all shift leverage in your favor. Timing won't manufacture a budget that doesn't exist, but it will determine whether your ask is heard as reasonable or tone-deaf.
The Actual Conversation — A Script
When the moment comes, state your number directly. Don't soften it into a question. Try: "Based on my impact this year and current market data, I'm asking for a 20% increase." No apology, no hedge.
Expect pushback, and prepare for the two most common versions.
If you hear "it's not in the budget," respond with: "I understand budget is tight. Can we talk about what would need to be true for this to happen next cycle, and can we revisit in 90 days?" This keeps the door open instead of closing the conversation.
If you hear "let me check with HR," respond with: "That makes sense. Can we set a specific date to follow up so this doesn't lose momentum?" A vague "I'll get back to you" often means the conversation quietly dies. A date keeps it alive.
Anchoring at 20% instead of a more modest 8–10% matters because negotiations tend to settle somewhere between the ask and the initial counter. Starting high, as long as it's defensible with your numbers, gives you more room to land somewhere that still feels like a win.
If the Answer Is No
A flat no doesn't mean the conversation is over. If cash isn't available, ask about alternatives: additional PTO, a flexible or remote arrangement, a title change that supports your next move, or equity if your company offers it. These carry real value even when the number on your paycheck doesn't move immediately.
Whatever you land on, don't accept "maybe next year" without specifics. Lock in a 90-day follow-up conversation with a clear marker of what success looks like by then. That turns a vague promise into an actual plan.
Mistakes That Sink a Raise Request
A few patterns quietly undercut people who otherwise have a strong case:
- Walking in without a specific number, which lets the manager anchor the conversation instead of you
- Comparing your pay to a coworker's instead of grounding the ask in your own impact
- Accepting the first counteroffer without pausing to consider it
- Waiting for your manager to bring up compensation instead of raising it yourself
A raise request is a business case, not a favor you're asking for. Know your number, bring your evidence, and don't flinch during the pause after you say it. That pause is where the negotiation actually happens.
