1Your Request For a Raise Must Be Backed by Merits

You will never get a raise if you saunter into the boss’ office saying that you have been a good worker or that you have always been punctual. These reasons won’t work because they are things that are expected of every employee. Instead, you should provide your boss with feedback from people you have worked with, be they fellow employees, your superiors, and most importantly the clients, have about you. The merits may be in the form of customer emails, performance appraisals, and even thank-you notes from satisfied people you have interacted with on behalf of the firm. The merits could also be in terms of workable initiatives that you introduced into the firm and thus helped in cost-cutting etc.
All these can be put together in a folder and be presented together with your request. Remember that it is the person with the most credentials and credible information that wins in a salary negotiating situation.

2Negotiate From a Strong Vantage Point

This is more or less a continuation of the above tip. In asking for a pay raise you have to argue your case in terms of what is relevant to the boss and the organization – it’s all about performance.

Upon being hired, the boss didn't care how much in debt you were or how many children you planned on having. It was all about what you would bring to the organization – base your negotiation on the same line of relevance. Prove to the boss that you bring value to the firm and prove this with solid achievements you have been able to provide. By proving that you are a performer, the boss will look for ways to appease you and retain your services.

3Let the Boss Spell Out His or Her Grounds for a Raise

A technique that has often been used is having the boss specify what he or she would want achieved before a raise is given. In using this tip you have to be specific in terms of what level of raise you desire. This is best proposed in terms of a percentage amount and a time-frame in which to secure it.

Bosses will often describe what they want achieved, but remember that a verbal agreement doesn’t hold much weight; find a way of getting it in writing, even if it is via a simple email.

4Be Ready With Alternatives That Suit Your Situation

Sometimes it may not be possible to get a salary increase in monetary terms, regardless of how much you try.  When this happens, you can negotiate to perhaps get a company car or company housing as a temporary incentive before your salary can be increased. Prior to making this kind of proposal, it is a good idea to get an idea of what the management can offer without creating a problem that will other employees to exploit it.

5Avoid Being Caught in Unprofessional Situations

Bosses are placed at the top of the organization because of their experience and performance.

This is another way of saying that they have seen all manner of employees before and have mastered the art of handling them.

There are basic work trends that just won’t help your quest to get a pay raise let alone keep your job. These include, the intentional waste of company time and resources, the tendency to call in sick too often, acting and looking unprofessional at the workplace, and having a poor relationship with fellow employees and the management. All of these types of issues should be resolved before you consider asking for a pay raise.

6When All Else Fails

If it proves impossible to get a pay raise or an alternative benefit, there is another option that you can use to increase the size of your paycheck.

The option involves you filling out W-4 form so to increase your claimed allowances. The result will decrease the amount withheld from your paycheck. This will directly translate into more money on your paycheck.