Asking for a Raise - Dos & Don’ts
- Frank Manfre
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
Don’t…
Use terms like "I need" more money, it's irrelevant and never threaten to leave you if don't get it. Saying, “If I don't get a raise I'll have to find another job where I’m paid what I’m worth” might work in the short term but no one likes to be threatened. They might raise your comp to avoid an open position, but trust me, when headcount cuts are made, you're going to be on the chopping block :(
Do…
Make a clear, direct request for a meeting with your direct supervisor or manager to discuss your current compensation. Example: “I would appreciate 20 minutes of your time to discuss my current compensation. When would it be convenient to meet or schedule a Zoom appointment?”
Prepare - Find out what people with your education and experience in your industry in your geographic area get paid on average. If applicable, be sure to include certifications; in some fields they are an important criterion for the salary paid. Know that salaries will vary by:
Geography
Company size
Industry profitability
Level/title inflation
Remote vs hybrid
Equity valuation
Timing in the hiring cycle
Research Sources - For most professionals, the three strongest compensation-data websites today are:
Best for Tech, product, engineering, finance, and high-paying corporate roles
Strongest source for total compensation (base + bonus + stock)
Very detailed by job level, company, and location.
Especially accurate for major employers like Google, Meta, Amazon,& Microsoft, etc.
Uses many verified submissions and offer letters
Weakness - Skews toward higher-paying employers and white-collar professional roles rather than the full labor market.
Best for broad coverage across industries and locations
Huge database across many job types
Good local-market salary estimates
Helpful company reviews alongside compensation data
Useful for small-to-mid-sized employers not covered well elsewhere
Note: Data quality varies because submissions are self-reported and sometimes old. Accuracy improves when many employees contribute.
Best for personalized compensation estimates
Adjusts for skills, education, certifications, experience, and geography
Strong for HR-style benchmarking and negotiation prep
Covers a very wide range of occupations
Estimates can sometimes feel modeled rather than reflecting live offer-market conditions.
A useful fourth source for “official” benchmark data is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via sites like PayScope, which uses government wage data. It’s excellent for broad market averages but less useful for real-time negotiation or elite-company compensation.
ChatGPT
AI can be useful for compensation research, but it works best as a synthesizer and interpreter, not as the primary raw data source.
Where ChatGPT is strong:
Explaining whether an offer is competitive
Interpreting compensation structures (base vs. bonus vs. equity)
Comparing roles across industries or regions
Identifying negotiation leverage
Summarizing data from multiple sources
Estimating likely ranges when you provide specifics
For example, if you say: “Senior project manager in Atlanta healthcare tech field, 12 years’ experience, managing 8 people” it can usually give a fairly realistic market range and explain what drives it.
Where ChatGPT is Weaker:
Real-time market shifts
Very niche roles
Small private companies
Hyper-local compensation changes
Precise current offers at specific employers unless recent web data is available
Bottom Line: You deserve to be compensated fairly, but don't assume your employer is benchmarking salaries with an eye toward paying fair market value even though they should given the high cost of employee turn over. It is wise to do your own annual salary/total comp review to ensure you are being properly compensated for your contribution to the organization's success.
Frank Manfre
Job Search Sherpa
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