Buddy of mine did this recently:
1. Be an asset to the organization, be hard to replace. If you are not here, don't even bother trying.
2. Ask for letters of recommendations. Say you are considering applying to go back to school to get your MS/PhD. Or make up some reason that will take you far away and force you to leave your job.
3. When they ask why you want to do X, use the following conversation to casually bring up financial related reasons without specifically saying you want a raise. "It's a great program, it's very interesting, and the demand is high enough that I won't ever have to worry about supporting my family" for example.
4. Wait a week or two until you get the letters. Then a couple more weeks after that. In this time, bust your ass, be the 110% employee.
5. After about a month. Say you've been accepted to the program, have thought a lot about it, but really like it at your current job. Now start negotiating.
He did this, with zero intention of applying anywhere or using the letters of recommendations for either. But it made his bosses realize they might lose a valuable team member. Writing the letters of recommendations made them focus on all his positive achievements and contributions. They paid special attention to his efforts during that time, so he busted his ass. Then they had to spend a month thinking about losing the guy.
Finally when he went in with the intent to negotiate the raise, he was in a very powerful position at the negotiating table. He walked away with a pay raise, a promotion, and the company paying to send off him to get some new certifications.
1. Be an asset to the organization, be hard to replace. If you are not here, don't even bother trying.
2. Ask for letters of recommendations. Say you are considering applying to go back to school to get your MS/PhD. Or make up some reason that will take you far away and force you to leave your job.
3. When they ask why you want to do X, use the following conversation to casually bring up financial related reasons without specifically saying you want a raise. "It's a great program, it's very interesting, and the demand is high enough that I won't ever have to worry about supporting my family" for example.
4. Wait a week or two until you get the letters. Then a couple more weeks after that. In this time, bust your ass, be the 110% employee.
5. After about a month. Say you've been accepted to the program, have thought a lot about it, but really like it at your current job. Now start negotiating.
He did this, with zero intention of applying anywhere or using the letters of recommendations for either. But it made his bosses realize they might lose a valuable team member. Writing the letters of recommendations made them focus on all his positive achievements and contributions. They paid special attention to his efforts during that time, so he busted his ass. Then they had to spend a month thinking about losing the guy.
Finally when he went in with the intent to negotiate the raise, he was in a very powerful position at the negotiating table. He walked away with a pay raise, a promotion, and the company paying to send off him to get some new certifications.
Never cross streams.