Sometimes as employees we assume our employers will take care of pay increases and promotions without any input from them being necessary. Taking this stance is like leaving your life completely in another’s hands.

It's often best to take ownership of this process and in doing so, your career. Exert some influence over the negotiation process rather than leaving it to someone else. You would have requested time off at some point in your career, so you're capable of asking for what you need — this is just a step up.

Your boss can't read your mind. They may not know what you are wanting from your career. Even if you have voiced your ambitions in the past, it’s unlikely to be at the forefront of their minds. Remember, no-one will lobby your cause quite like you could or should! 

If you aren’t clear on this, it is okay to ask about your future career path at the firm and your salary — it's a smart move. Not asking may just leave you to fall behind the market and your progression compared to that of your peers.

PREPARE YOUR PITCH

While preparing your pitch, go back over your answers you jotted down to the questions posed in Part 1. Reflect on your successes over the last year. Remember, you're likely to be more valuable to your company than what you might think.

What should your pitch include? Keep it succinct, around a one-page business case is fine. You'll need to sift through your answers and pick out the aspects of your work and your goals that are the most important to you. Work out exactly what you want to ask for — is it a promotion? Is it a salary increase? Remuneration doesn’t just have to be about salary. There may be other things you value more like:

• Part-time Vs Full-time
• Working from home occasionally or other flexible working arrangements
• Further education and development programs
• Childcare assistance
• Performance incentives

Once you've worked out what you're asking for, use the research you did in part one to build your case for a promotion or a salary increase. Remember to keep some of the focus not just on yourself, but on the firm too — give some examples of ways in which you will assist them to build their brand in the long run. A firm will be more willing to invest in you if they know you've got your sights set firmly on contributing to their business!

Review your pitch before you walk into the meeting. Having done the research and preparation, let that support you and provide a foundation for the meeting ahead. Remember to get out of your way, shelve the self-talk and advocate for you.

TIME IT

When you initiate the conversation will depend on your individual situation and firm. Some firms have a performance review cycle around May/June while others are in November/December, that can be the perfect time to broach the subject.

Having said this, you don’t necessarily have to wait for the annual review to ask. Schedule a meeting at a time that feels right to you. Another good idea is to initiate the conversation after you've had a few professional successes.

If you are new to your firm or new to initiating these types of conversations with your boss, speak to your partner or other senior lawyers about 'how it's done in your firm'. What kind of pay review culture exists? Get informed.

And if you need to schedule a meeting with your boss to make a salary negotiation or promotion conversation happen, do that ahead of time.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PITCH

The best format for pitching we’ve come by is from a great book ‘How to Get a Pay Rise’ by Medine Simmons and Merryl Naughton. It’s succinct, clear and removes any emotional ties from the process. Their format goes like this:

• Reason: “Over the past 12 months I have …
• Suggestion: “Based on the market research I have done, can my salary to be reviewed to X?
• Wait - Be comfortable with the silence
• Your boss responds
• Gracefully thank them and then action accordingly

THEY SAID YES

Congratulations!! Your hard work paid off and you'll enjoy the fruits of all the research and preparation you did. If you've achieved the increase or promotion you were looking for, don't forget to set new goals for the year ahead, so you don't become complacent.

THEY SAID NO

No is not a failure. Take the no gracefully. Stay calm. Don't react negatively, as this will only count against you in future.

Here are some suggestions on how to handle hearing a no:

Thank your boss for considering your review

Request a meeting where you can seek out the advice of your boss to plan what you will need to do by when to get to where you want to be

Remember a no can mean a maybe: it might be your conversation is taken on board and considered. It might take a few weeks from the time of the conversation before you'll be informed of an outcome.

Given it time and space: regardless of what you've been told, be gracious and don't take it personally. You are not what you get paid. Give it time and keep trying to do better.

Remember it's a business transaction: In effect, you are providing your skills and knowledge in the form of ‘a service’ each week, and getting paid at the end of that week clears the ledger! Looking at it this way can clear the emotion from the process.

LEARN FROM SETBACKS

Take a moment to reflect.

• What have you learned from the negotiation process?
• Was it a fair assessment by your boss? If not, why?
• Can the decision or situation be turned around?
• Could you have done more to secure a more positive outcome?
• Is it time to make a decision about taking your career elsewhere?
• What professional goals do you have for the year ahead?

Regardless of the outcome, the process you’ve embarked on will no doubt have provided some learnings on how to best manage salary and performance conversations, as well as emphasising the importance of taking control of your career, now and into the future. 

Download the Making Your Next Review Count – Worksheet here.