No doubt every employee would love to get a pay raise, but the reality is that most are not going to get one in the near future.

The thing is, that might not be due to not deserving one. What could be preventing you from getting that higher salary is that you do not know how to negotiate for one.

Carol Hagh of the Harvard Business Review delved into this matter, sharing what you need to be doing to convince your boss you are worth more.

The first thing you need to consider is that a negotiation is about appealing what matters to the other party, not to you.

Your first instinct might be to rattle off how many years you have been with the company and how you have never even taken off for a sick day, but that won’t mean much if your boss has never even really kept track of those details.

Maybe your boss is a results-oriented type of person and wants to hear what you have accomplished. You need to know what matters to them.

It is also beneficial to start testing the waters before a big sit-down conversation. Maybe mention that you are looking to do more with the job and see what kind of reaction that gets.

If your boss says they wish they could help but those opportunities just are not there, it would probably be a waste of effort to prepare for a longer conversation. Feel them out first.

Assuming all signs seem positive, ask for a meeting and prepare how to lay out your case. Clearly explain what you want is a raise, but also be ready to state what you are willing to do to earn it. Remember, your boss wants to hear what’s in it for them.

Simply saying you deserve it can come off as entitled. You are looking to make it clear that you are dedicated to the company and looking to offer more.

If you are able to see things from your boss’s perspective, you are far more likely to have a successful negotiation and earn the pau raise you are hoping for.

For more on how to succeed in negotiating for a raise, refer to the article from the Harvard Business Review here.

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Career coach Linda Raynier offers 6 salary negotiation tactics on how to negotiate a higher salary for yourself, whether you’ve just received a new job offer or you’re wanting to ask for a raise in your current job.

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