Salary Increase Request Template
Make a confident, evidence-based case for a raise.
Tips for your Salary Increase Request
- Back your request with specific results.
- Ask for a conversation, not just a number.
- Choose good timing — after a win or at review time.
About this Salary Increase Request template
This email does not ask for a raise. It asks for the meeting where you ask for a raise. The distinction matters: pay decisions are almost never made in an inbox, and an email that names a figure invites a one-line no before you have made your case. Send it when you have something concrete behind you — a delivered result, a scope increase, or a role you have quietly been doing for months. Budgets are usually set in advance, so ask before the cycle closes, not after.
The tone that works is calm and evidence-led. Your manager is reading for whether they can sell this upward, so hand them the argument: what changed, what you delivered, what you now own that you did not a year ago. Leave out your rent, your colleague’s salary, and any threat you are not prepared to carry out. Market comparisons are fair game in the meeting, but bring a figure for your role and location that you can stand behind.
The common mistake is mistaking effort for evidence. “I work really hard” is not an argument; “I took over the X account and it renewed at double” is. If the answer is no, ask what specifically would make it a yes and by when — and if the honest answer is never, a job application email is your other lever.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I ask for?
There is no universal percentage — it depends on your role, level, location and what your employer’s budget can actually carry. Research comparable roles in your own market, then ask for a range with a floor you would genuinely accept.
What if my manager says no?
Ask what would need to change for the answer to be yes, and by when. Get that in writing and put a review date in the calendar; a vague “we will look at it” is a no with better manners.
Should I mention a competing offer?
Only if it is real and you would take it. It sometimes works, but it changes the relationship permanently, and some employers respond by quietly planning for your exit.
When is the best time to ask?
After a visible win, at review time, or shortly before budgets are set for the next cycle. Avoid the week after bad results, a hiring freeze or layoffs.
Should I make the whole case by email?
No. Use the email to book the conversation and signal what it is about. Making the argument in person lets you answer objections instead of being declined in writing.