15 guides
Pay and raise guides
Plain-English guides to knowing your worth, asking for more and growing your pay over a career. General education, not legal or career advice.
Know your worth
Market pay research, pay rights and tracking your wins.
- Find out what your work is worth
Use several sources and land on a range, not a single number.
- Talking about pay with coworkers
Most private-sector workers have a legal right to discuss pay.
- Pay ranges in job postings and salary history
Laws are changing fast, and many help job seekers.
- Keep a brag document
Write down wins when they happen, not the night before your review.
Ask for a raise
Timing, the conversation, follow-up and hearing no.
- When to ask for a raise
Before budgets are set, and after a clear win.
- The raise conversation, step by step
A clear ask, three reasons, then stop talking.
- If they say no, or not yet
Turn a no into a plan with a date.
- Get it in writing: the follow-up email
A short email that confirms what was agreed.
Job offers
Negotiating offers, benefits and total compensation.
- How to negotiate a job offer
Be enthusiastic, be specific, and ask once.
- Negotiate more than salary
Time off, schedule, sign-on bonus, title and training.
- Compare offers on total compensation
Salary is only part of the package.
Grow over time
Promotions, skills, changing jobs and inflation.
- Plan your path to a promotion
Ask what the next level looks like, then show it.
- Skills and certifications that pay
Check whether employers actually pay more for it first.
- Changing jobs for higher pay
Sometimes the biggest raise comes from a new employer.
- Inflation and your "real" raise
A 3% raise with 3% inflation leaves you where you were.