Work in Progress is a column about finding your way in the working world. Have a question for Rainesford Stauffer? Send it to TVworkinprogress@gmail.com.
Asking for a raise or promotion can feel stressful. A lot of well-meaning career advice “overlooks the ways in which historically marginalized workers, like women and people of color, are more likely to face pushback and judgment for doing those very things,” Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez, a writer covering money, power, and ambition, tells Teen Vogue.
There’s already conversation on how younger generations of workers are more open about what they want and need at work. A 2022 Bankrate survey found that about 42% of workers ages 18–25 and 40% of ages 26–41 shared salary information with a coworker or contact, and plenty of reporting details how young workers are less likely to tolerate a lack of boundaries at work. A report from the Center for American Progress labeled Gen Z America’s most “pro-union generation.”
Young people know that opting against routinely taking on extra work is not “quiet quitting.” Pushing back on overwork slipping into every corner of your life is not slacking. And asking for a raise or promotion is not inherently asking for too much.
“Data shows that historically underrepresented employees are paid far less than their white, male counterparts. Black, Latina, AAPI, and Native and Indigenous women have been living in this wage gap for decades, so it is crucial that we advocate for equitable pay,” Latesha Byrd, CEO of Perfeqta and Career Chasers, talent advisor, and executive coach, tells Teen Vogue. “Advocacy in your career is also important for building confidence and professional development.”
So, how do you get beyond the advice to “just ask” for what you want? We talked to three experts to break it down.
Know what systems are in place
First, know whether there are built-in systems for promotions or raises in your organization, whether those involve timelines, metrics, or expectations, pay bands and how pay bands are decided, and budget transparency.
Nadia De Ala, founder of Real You Leadership, tells Teen Vogue that systemic inequities — including the impacts of capitalism, racism, and patriarchy — show up in workplace policy. Some companies work to attract diverse talent, then have no internal structures to foster equity and inclusion that would help support workers in communicating their needs without facing harm or retaliation, she explains.
Without systemized processes for getting a promotion or raise, it’s too easy for bias to slip into performance reviews or check-ins. Workers need to know what employers expect from them in order for them to advance or earn more. De Ala points out that this especially impacts women — especially women of color — as well as those who are part of LGBTQ+ community, and those who are parents, especially mothers. It’s critical that every worker has access to knowledge and internal resources, so that having this information isn’t dependent on individual workers speaking up. Even from the first interview for a role, it’s worth asking about.
Byrd notes that knowing what you can ask for is important. “We often think that a higher salary is all that we can ask for, but we can also ask for more inclusive benefits, flexible work arrangements, career advancement opportunities, and so much more,” she tells Teen Vogue. Keep that in mind as you start looking at what systems exist for promotions or raises within your organization. At the same time, Byrd says, companies should be conducting pay equity audits to identify where inequities exist, and what factors, like race or gender, might influence compensation.
Make the ask
“What you really want to do is ask for clarity,” De Ala explains. “I would just like some clarity on our processes and systems that we have around my role’s pay and leveling,” she uses as an example. From there, the questions flow: “Whether that is a pay band, or a pay level, what is the structure of my role? What does it look like to advance into the next level, whether that’s a promoted title or not?”
You want to ask what a manager needs to see from you to get to the next level in your role, she explains, as well as what the allotted budget and level of compensation is for every level you advance.
De Ala suggests having market research on hand —which could either mean a good, ol’ fashioned Google search of roles similar to yours, or asking colleagues. When negotiating, either for a new job or during your job’s performance review cycle, De Ala advises against specifying an ideal salary. If asked for a number, De Ala suggests punting the question back to them, asking about the budget allocated for the role. If you do want to name a number, make sure to name a range, De Ala adds. “And make sure the high range is as high as your market research says allow,” she says.
O’Connell Rodriguez, who hosts Real Simple magazine’s Money Confidential podcast and writes the newsletter “Too Ambitious,” adds that it helps to have a concrete understanding of the metrics of success, so that you can make a case for how you’re prepared to meet or exceed those expectations. “As you do so, keep in mind that your best shot at landing the promotion you want may not be with your current company, so consider your options more broadly,” she explains. “Keeping your job options open can also give you a valuable way to collect more information on different organizations’ expectations and pay structures, not to mention, it can help take some of the pressure off of advocating for yourself at your existing organization when you know that all your eggs aren’t in that one basket.”
Rely on your network
Rather than only celebrating or acknowledging your successes and contributions during your annual review, De Ala suggests building those wins into ongoing conversations. “Learn how to be self-assertive and celebrate yourself out loud because that signals confidence in yourself and signals to your stakeholders and decision makers that they should be confident in you too,” De Ala says.
One of the things that can make asking for more — more responsibility, more autonomy, more money — feel intimidating is the sensation of isolation, standing there alone. That’s one of many reasons why building community at work, in the form of unionizing as well as just talking to your coworkers about their experiences or pay, can be powerful.
O’Connell Rodriguez suggests doing that outside your work workplace too. “Tapping into networks like affinity groups is shown to predict greater success in job searches and negotiations for those historically underrepresented in workplace leadership,” she tells Teen Vogue. “These groups can also be important in finding mentorship and sponsorship, and can provide a valuable support system when things don’t go as we hope they will when advocating for ourselves.” Having strong professional networks and outlets for ambition beyond your workplace can help you excel, she adds.
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