Asking for a raise in 5 steps

You don't need to wing it. A raise conversation has a shape, and if you hit the moves in order, you stack the odds before you ever walk in. Here's the sequence — value first, number second, follow-up locked.

Move 1 — Open with value, not the ask

Don't lead with "I want a raise." Lead with what you've done. You're not asking for a favor; you're opening a conversation about what your work is now worth.

Say "Thanks for making time. Q3 was the first quarter we hit all three targets, and the renewal I led brought in €80k. I wanted to talk about what that's worth going forward."

Move 2 — Make them name a number first

Before you say a figure, draw theirs out. Whoever goes first sets the ceiling.

Ask, then stop talking "Given that — what did you have in mind?"

Move 3 — Counter higher, with a reason

Their number is the floor. Acknowledge it, then counter above it and anchor it to impact. Never lower your own number to make them comfortable.

Counter "I appreciate that. Based on what I'm delivering, I think we should be closer to 15%. What would it take to get there?"

Move 4 — Handle the budget excuse

"There's no budget right now" is not a no. It's a "not in this format." Convert it into a commitment with a date attached.

Pin it "I get budgets are real. Can we agree on the number now with a date — a review in 60 days if it can't happen immediately?"

Move 5 — Close with a concrete next step

Never leave on a warm "we'll see." Summarize what you agreed, out loud, and get them to confirm it. Vague endings are where raises quietly die.

Close "So to confirm — we're aligned on 15%, and you'll come back to me by the 30th. Is that right?"

What tanks the whole thing

Mentioning rent or personal costs. Lowering your number before they push. "I just wanted to…" and "I think I deserve…". Ending a turn without a question or a position. Cut all of it.

Run the script enough times and it stops being a script — it becomes how you actually talk under pressure. That's the point.