How to Ask for a Raise in Writing, Be It Email or Letter
Asking your employer for more money isn’t easy, even when you know you deserve it. But if you knocked it out of the park over the past year, took on more responsibilities or received a stellar performance review, you owe it to yourself to talk to your manager about a pay increase. And knowing how to ask for a raise in writing, be it in a letter or an email, can help your chances of getting that bump in pay.
The good news is that salaries continue to trend upward for 2025, according to research for the Salary Guide From Robert Half. Employers say they are willing to give financial incentives to retain employees, with increasing compensation the most popular strategy among hiring managers for retaining talent between now and the end of 2025.
Additionally, 44% of respondents to a recent Robert Half survey say that if they do not receive a raise this year, they will ask for a raise that takes inflation into account, with 34% of respondents saying they will search for a new role if no raise is forthcoming. The takeaway? If you’re feeling the urge to ask for a raise, your employer may well be receptive to your request.
After you’ve decided you’ll be asking for an increase in pay, it’s a good idea to put your request for a raise in writing. But before you pick up a pen or sit down at the computer to write, an emotional check-in is in order. Do you feel jittery or anxious at the thought of asking for a raise, or do you feel a calm, reassuring can-do attitude as you reflect on the raise request?
If you’re already feeling good about making the ask, then you’re ready to start taking notes that will help you include key points in your written request for a raise.
But if you’re still feeling intimidated about even starting the conversation about a raise, remember that you won’t be the first person in history to request more money for a job you’re doing well.
We’ve all been in similar situations in our professional lives, be it asking for a raise, a more comfortable office chair, or special accommodations such as a slight change in schedule to pick up your child after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Your boss knows this as well as anyone, so if you know how to ask for a raise in a respectful yet confident manner, you can approach the entire process as a straightforward case of simply asking a question and receiving an answer.
If you are feeling reluctant about asking for a raise even though you feel you deserve one, it can help to remember that others have been through what you’re experiencing, and that they have successfully achieved the result they desired. If they can do it, so can you. Remember that — it isn’t just a platitude, it’s a fact. How to ask for a raise starts with having the sincere belief that your well-executed request for a raise has a very good chance of succeeding.
Whether it’s all in one sitting or over a few days, write down all your work accomplishments you can think of and highlight where you’ve met or exceeded expectations. Don’t feel that you have to get the wording perfect in the first draft. One of the best aspects of asking for a raise in writing is that you can review and adjust as needed before sending it to your boss. Use that to your advantage.
Listing your successes can help you develop confidence about the message you want to send as you begin crafting your letter or email with the raise request. These additional tips on how to ask for a raise and get it can also be helpful to keep in mind.
You won’t get very far if the amount you ask for is not in line with the realities of today’s job market. Doing your own research will help you understand what a competitive wage is for someone in your position and geographic location.
Consult the latest Robert Half Salary Guide, which breaks down starting pay ranges for hundreds of positions across numerous professional fields. Researching the numbers will also demonstrate to your boss that your salary request is backed by real data versus your own appraisal, and putting those numbers in a letter or email to support your case for a raise can help the higher-ups see the logic behind the specifics of your request.
Get the latest Salary Guide From Robert Half.
Another important step in knowing how to ask for a raise is identifying the best time in your company’s cycle to have the discussion. First up, find out if your company has a policy of granting pay raises only during performance review periods. Check your employee handbook for guidelines.
Consider also whether your organization has had recent layoffs or a hiring freeze. If you bring up your pay when your company has just furloughed employees or is seeing reduced revenues, your appeal is likely to go nowhere fast, regardless of how amazing you are. Picking the right time to ask may help other things fall in place more easily when it comes to knowing how to ask for — and ultimately receive — a pay raise.
Reviewing a sample template is another important step early in the process. The sample template below can help you in crafting your written request for a pay raise. You will, of course, want to personalize all relevant sections, keeping in mind the tips discussed in this post. The template is best viewed as a starting point that you can modify and personalize by consulting any notes you’ve made and a model to follow to fit in all your salient points without overlooking anything or becoming too verbose.
Dear (Name),
As my X-year anniversary gets close, I would like to request a review of my (job title) salary. During my time at (name of company), I have taken on additional responsibilities and have achieved success in several areas. I’ve made a brief list of just some of my accomplishments and responsibilities, which include the following:
Taking the lead on …
Meeting goals in …
Improving efficiencies that led to a savings of $X for the company ...
Achieving success in …
Adding to my (skill level or education as it relates to the job) …
Aside from my X skills in this role, I have also demonstrated excellent X abilities and proficiency with X. The team can count on me for X.
Given the added value I have brought the company, I think it is fair to request a bump in pay. Based on the research in the Robert Half Salary Guide, I’ve found that the midpoint salary (or median national salary) for this position is $X for my experience level. Considering regional variances, an X percent raise would put my compensation closer to those salary benchmarks.
Thank you for your consideration. I would be happy to meet with you to discuss my request and the company’s needs. Please let me know if you are available for a short meeting.
Sincerely,
Name
Reading and consulting the template as you go can help you decide how to best word your request to meet with the manager to discuss a pay raise. If this is the first time your boss hears you want more money, set the stage appropriately. You might consider a sentence or two, such as this: Could we have a short discussion to review my salary or devote a few minutes to that topic during our next one-on-one meeting?
If you have a performance review coming up, it’s a good idea to ask ahead of time: Would it be OK if we discussed my compensation during my performance review? If you have already expressed the desire for an increase, you should go ahead and circle back with specifics.
And if you’ve already discussed your request for a raise via email or chat, consider including a line like this: We’ve discussed my wish for additional pay, and after some research, I’d like to request a salary increase of X percent.
In a longer letter or follow-up email asking for a raise, explain how you landed on the salary figure you are requesting. Numbers are convincing, so use them in the descriptions of your accomplishments: money saved, revenue earned, services improved, responsibilities taken on.
Just as you did in your salary negotiations when you interviewed for the job, your request should reflect the value you bring to the role, goals you’ve met or exceeded, results you have delivered, and industry averages based on your job skills and years of experience. It’s easier to put nerves aside when you feel ready to answer direct questions about why you deserve a pay increase.
After you’ve researched your salary range, determined a good time to broach the subject, and decided on the best phrasing for key portions of your request, you will know much more about how to request a raise in writing and be well-prepared to put it all together in a succinct letter or email. Below are key points to remember when finalizing the document:
Explain that you’d like to connect to review your compensation.
Outline your impact clearly and concisely.
Prepare compelling bullet points that describe exactly how you’ve excelled in your role.
Also, while it may be tempting to include external circumstances in your life unrelated to your job performance, do not mention any personal reasons you may have for needing a raise. If you happen to know what your coworkers make, do not share that information. Your raise request is about your job performance and the compensation you receive; it should not venture off into how much other employees make.
Once you’ve finished the final draft, be sure to proofread from top to bottom — and from bottom to top. Reading each sentence or bullet point in reverse order can help you avoid overlooking a missing word or typo you may not catch when reading in the usual start-to-finish order.
Finally, if someone you trust with a keen reading eye is willing to proofread the letter or email for you, consider yourself fortunate. Two sets of eyes are better than one, and an error-free and well-written request for a raise can only increase the chances of it succeeding.
Remember to thank your manager for supporting you in your role and for considering your request. After you hit send, be patient. Your manager may need to talk to a higher-up or HR before getting back to you. Those conversations and the resulting negotiations can take time.
Even if you don’t get what you’re looking for this time around, thank your manager for allowing you to express yourself. Seek clarity on what would be required for a future salary increase, and set a time to check in again. Robert Half research found that 34% of survey respondents who planned to ask for a raise said they would ask to revisit the salary conversation in a few months if their request for a raise got turned down.
Negotiating is a process. Putting your request in writing is likely just the first step, but if you make the ask and back it up with solid reasoning, it can pay dividends in the form of more money in your paycheck.
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