Do you really want a raise,
or this is for example? Interviewer: We all
want to make more money. Yes, of course. And I could tell looking
at you, you're underpaid. Interviewer: Why? Because you would afford a
much nicer shirt and trousers if you were making enough money. Interviewer: Wow. If you want to get a raise, and particularly if you're a
woman who wants to get a raise, women don't ask for raises I can tell you. I've employed thousands
of women over my life. They do not ask for raises
unless they absolutely must, and men ask all the time. And so, what the smartest
thing to do is, first of all, make an appointment to ask for a raise, even if your expectation isn't
that you're gonna get it. At least ask for it,
because that sets you up for the next meeting where
you'll likely get it. And the smartest thing to
do is to walk in with a list of your responsibilities when
you started at the company, and then also the list of things you've taken on since you started. And simply, make the boss aware that you have a lot more responsibility. You're delighted to take it on, give me more, but I'd
like to be compensated and to name a number you'd like. Most women, when they work up to the point where they'll ask for a raise,
they won't give a number. "I'd like to get a raise." Men will walk in and say,
"I'd like to get a raise." "I'd like it to be around 10, 15 percent." No qualms. So, if you're a timid woman,
I think the smart thing to do is ask, "What would a man do?" And walk in thinking like a man. If you don't get the raise, you have to ask, "What
would merit a raise?" So that when you come back the next time, you could say, "Hey,
this is what I've done," "I'd like to get that raise." When someone has come to me
and said they got another offer for a lot more money from somewhere else, and it's not followed
up with, "So, goodbye," they're looking for something from me. I never try to buy their loyalty because I haven't earned
their loyalty, obviously, and they're on their way out the door, I'm not gonna stop them with more money. They're already off my list. I can't wait for them to go out that door. It's perfectly acceptable
to go to your boss and say, "You know, I'm
a little surprised." "I got an offer for a lot more money," "but I'm not taking it
because I love this business." "But I'm really wondering,
could you level with me" "as to my future prospects here?" That's a great opener. And it's not insulting
and it's not threatening. And guess what? You'll get the best out of that boss. Very, very different than saying, "You want to pay up?" The tone is entirely different. One, the boss wants to measure up. The other style, the boss wants
to boot you out that door. I think the piece you have to put in is, "I got a great offer, I love working here" "and I plan to stay," "but it brings on the table my question," "what do you think my prospects here" "in the future might be?" That's pretty fair. If I were a boss, I would go out of my way to think of how I could push
you ahead, if I value you. And if my response instead was, "Well I'm happy to hear
about it, but you know," "we pay you fairly and you
have good responsibilities" "and we're pretty happy,
so do what you want." Or something like that, I
would know I am not valued, and I would take the other
job because the one thing you must be in any position you are, male, female, whatever level you are, is you must be valued and
appreciated to be promoted. It's a great way to go
in and take a litmus test as to how you are valued
in that boss' eyes, and your boss has more
to do with your future than the company you're working for, your responsibilities and everything else. If they love you, they
will push you ahead. I had so many people come and
ask for raises over the years. Of course, mostly men. My theory as a boss is, you get ahead of your valued employees and you raise them before
they ever get to ask. Because employees will kill for you, if you can treat them with that kind of reverence and respect and prove it by paying them more. They'll kill for you.
They're loyal forever. And I've always been very lucky
to be surrounded by people that are enormously loyal,
and it's no accident. Because I make sure I
push money, recognition, whatever I have, opportunity,
more valuable than raises. Bonuses, whatever it takes to
make them feel "I am loved." That's what everybody wants.
