How to ask for a raise (with a word-for-word script)
Ask in a meeting you've booked for it, lead with how your role has grown, name one specific number, then stop talking. Below is the exact script, what to say if your boss stalls, and an email to book the conversation.
Lauren is a real coach. You're texting an AI trained on her coaching.
The moment
You've rehearsed it in the shower. Maybe twice. Your one-on-one is Thursday, and every version you've tried out loud sounds either like an apology or an ultimatum.
That's normal. Most people were never taught how to do this, and it feels personal even though it's a business conversation. The fix is structure: a short case, one specific number, and a plan for the three ways your boss might respond.
Get these straight first
- Your number. Pick one figure, not a range. Base it on what your role pays in the market and what you now do, not on what you need. Salary data sites, recruiters and peers in similar roles at other companies are all fair sources.
- What's changed. Three things you've taken on or delivered since your last pay change, each with a result attached: a number, a client, a deadline you saved.
- Who decides. Can your boss approve this alone, or do they take it to someone? If it's the second, your job is to hand them a case they can carry into that room.
- The timing. The best moment is a few weeks before budgets or review decisions are set, and soon after a visible win. If you don't know when pay decisions happen, ask. It's a normal question.
- Your walk-away. Decide in advance what you'll do if the answer is no. You don't have to say it. You just have to know it, so a "not now" doesn't knock you flat.
The script
Thanks for making time for this. I'd like to talk about my compensation.
Since [month], my role has grown. I've taken on [new responsibility], I [result with a number], and I've been [ongoing contribution].
Based on that scope and what this role pays in the market, I'm asking for an increase to [specific salary].
I want to keep growing here, and I want my pay to reflect the job I'm actually doing. What would it take to make this happen this cycle?
After you say your number, stop talking. The silence will feel long. Let it be long. The first person to fill it usually gives something away.
If you're asking during your review
I'd like to use part of this review to talk about pay. Given [the scope change] and [the result], I'm asking for [specific salary]. Can we talk about how to get there?
If you have a real offer from somewhere else
Only use this if the offer exists and you'd take it.
I want to be upfront with you. I've received an offer at [number]. I'd rather stay, because [real reason]. Is there a way to get closer to that here?
If they push back
| If they say | You can say |
|---|---|
| There's no budget right now. | Understood. When is the budget set, and what would I need to show by then for this to be approved? Can we put a date on the calendar to revisit it? |
| You're already paid fairly for your level. | Help me understand how the level is defined. The work I'm doing now includes [scope]. If that's next-level work, what's the path to that title and pay? |
| Let me think about it. | Of course. When should I expect to hear back? I'll send a short note today with what I shared, in case you need to take it to anyone. |
| We can't do salary right now, but... | I'm open to that. What can we do? A title change, a bonus, extra time off, or a written plan with a review date would all help. |
Email to book the conversation
Ask for the meeting in writing so it doesn't get squeezed into the last five minutes of something else.
Subject: Time to talk about my role and compensation
Hi [name],
Could we set aside 30 minutes in the next two weeks to talk about my role and compensation? I'd like to walk you through how my responsibilities have grown this year and talk about what that means for my pay.
Thanks,
[Your name]
Mistakes to skip
- Leading with personal need. Rising rent is real, but it isn't a case your boss can take to finance. Lead with the work.
- Naming a range. Say "somewhere between 110 and 120" and you've just asked for 110.
- Comparing yourself to a coworker by name. Talk about the market and the role, not about what Jess makes.
- Apologizing for asking. "Sorry, I know things are tight" hands your boss the no before you've asked.
- An ultimatum you don't mean. Mention another offer only if you have one and would take it.
- Asking in the hallway. A raise asked in passing gets answered in passing. Book the time.
After the conversation
Send a two-line recap the same day: what you asked for, what they said, and the next date. If the answer was "not now", that date matters more than anything else you got, so put it in both calendars.
If it's a yes, get the number and the effective date in writing. If it's a no with no path, that's information too. You don't have to decide anything today.
Prep it with Lauren
Here's what it looks like to rehearse this by text the night before. Lauren asks a couple of sharp questions, tightens your words, and checks in after.
I'm asking for a raise in my 1:1 thursday and I already want to cancel
totally normal to want to bail on this one. we're not cancelling though 🙂
two quick q's. what's changed in your job since your last raise? and what number are you going to say?
I took over the Hendricks account in March and I manage two people now. thinking maybe 10-12%?
that's a real scope change. lead with it. and pick one number. a range just tells her the bottom of it. try: "Since March I've taken on Hendricks and two direct reports. I'm asking for an increase to $128k." then stop talking.
ok. what if she says there's no budget
then you ask when the budget gets set and what you'd need to show by then. want to rehearse it right now? I'll be your boss
Thu 4:10 PMhow did it go??
Rehearse it tonight, not in the hallway.
Text Lauren your number and what's changed in your role. She'll pressure-test your case, play your boss so you can practice the pushback, and check in after the meeting.
Hi Lauren! I'm getting ready to ask for a raise and want help planning the conversation.
Lauren is a real coach. You're texting an AI trained on her coaching. Your first week is free. Cancel anytime from your account or by texting Lauren.
Frequently asked questions
How much of a raise should I ask for?
Anchor on what your role is worth in the market and how much your job has grown, not on the company's usual annual increase. If your work has grown into the next level, ask for pay in that level's range. Pick one specific number and be ready to say where it came from.
When is the best time to ask for a raise?
A few weeks before your company sets budgets or review decisions, and soon after a visible win. Avoid the week of a bad quarter or a reorg announcement. If you don't know when pay decisions are made, ask your boss.
Should I ask for a raise by email or in person?
Ask in person or on video, in a meeting you've booked for it. Use email to request the meeting and to recap what was agreed afterward.
What should I do if my boss says no?
Ask what it would take and by when, then write it down and send a recap. A no with a clear path and a date is a plan. A no with no path tells you something about whether this job can give you what you want.