Gave valuable tips on how to ask for a higher salary – even the time chosen for the interview can have an impact

“There comes a time when employees start to be dissatisfied with the wages they receive for the work they do. However, salary is one of the biggest motivational tools that encourages people to perform their duties even better. Employees should not be afraid to express their expectations to the manager and ask for the desired salary. Of course, this should be done thoughtfully and a few essential tips should be followed to help you get the salary you want,” says Eglė Staniulionė, head of the “Bitė Lietuva” people’s embassy.

Choose the right time

One of the most important aspects of asking your manager for a raise is the right time. Many Lithuanian companies have remuneration policies that indicate the frequency of revisions – it is valuable to know when and how often the company undertakes to raise salaries.

According to the expert, it can be a particularly favorable moment to talk about remuneration when the employee has implemented important projects or achieved significant results: “One of the most appropriate times to talk about remuneration is the moment when the employee has managed to achieve important and significant results. After realizing your high aspirations, do not delay and be sure to remind the employer about it. This is a great counterbalance in favor of the employee, because managers usually tend to appreciate and retain those who work responsibly and strive for the overall results of the company.”

According to E.Staniulone, even the time of year chosen for the salary increase interview can influence success. For example, the beginning of a new financial year is particularly beneficial for an employee. At that time, the company only distributes and approves financial expenses, so in most cases, the conversations with the employer regarding the salary increase can end successfully.

Be interested in salary trends

In order to strengthen your position in salary negotiations, knowledge of the financial situation in the country is no less important. According to the expert, before going to the interview with the employer for a salary increase, it is necessary to know the market salary of specialists in your field.

“Knowledge of salary trends in a professional field can be helpful. Employers often expect that the employee is not interested in the financial situation of the market and other companies. By showing that you know how much specialists in your field earn in Lithuania, you will increase the chance of getting the salary you want”, reveals E. Staniulionė.

It is also important to assess the financial condition of the company where you work: “If an employee starts demanding a salary that the company cannot pay, his financial needs will not be met. For this reason, it is necessary to consider whether the possibility of the desired salary in the workplace is really real.”

According to E. Staniulionė, employees often receive not only a fixed salary, but also various bonuses. In wanting a higher salary, the employee does not consider that bonuses may decrease or that he may receive a bonus offer instead of a salary increase. The employer usually has one salary budget, which also includes additional allowances.

Prepare for the interview

E. Staniulionė urges us not to forget that it is necessary to prepare for the interview with the employer regarding the salary increase. As the expert says, a three-part plan drawn up in advance will give the employee more professionalism and reduce the stress before an important meeting.

“I don’t recommend going to an interview with an employer about a salary increase completely unprepared. It’s not just attitude that’s important, but also a purposeful plan that will help you argue why you should get a raise. The plan should not be long, so I would recommend that it be made up of three parts: an introduction, a main part and a summary.

In the first part, thank you for your time and say that you expect a raise. In the second part, argue why your salary should be increased: name your achievements, sincere and responsible work, and don’t forget to name the situation in the domestic market. Finally, express your expectations and say what kind of salary you want,” advises the manager of the people’s embassy of the digital services company “Bite”.

According to the expert, drawing up this plan will help you not deviate from the main idea, avoid stress and allow you to communicate professionally with the manager or manager. As E. Staniulionė says, this is an important part of the image that can help to achieve the desired salary.