Free goal: Ask for the Raise

How to Ask for a Raise (and Practice Saying It)

This plan shows you how to ask for a raise and then has you practice saying it out loud. Tim plays your manager, from supportive to tough, while you build your case with results, open the conversation, handle a not this year, negotiate title, pay and timing, and follow up. You go into appraisal season with your words already rehearsed.

Free
3 h 35 min in total
5 skills
5 guided lessons
8 spoken practices

Free to start. You practice by voice, so find a quiet spot and use your microphone.

Tell your coach your role and date, and it rebuilds this plan for you.

Your outcome

Ask for a raise or promotion with a clear case, and handle any answer.

Who this goal is for

You believe you are underpaid for your role and want to raise it without sounding demanding.
Appraisal season is coming and you want a clear case ready before the review meeting.
You have taken on more responsibility and want to ask for a promotion or new title.
You asked before, heard not this year, and want to handle the next conversation better.

About this goal

Get ready for appraisal season. Practice building your case with results, opening the conversation, handling "not this year", negotiating title, money and timing, and following up. Tim plays your manager, from supportive to tough.

The plan

What you will learn and practice

5 skills, each taught in a guided lesson and then practiced out loud with the coach.

3 h 35 min total5 lessons8 practices

Build your case
Skill 1, 55 min, 3 sessions
You will meet with a coach to pick three major successes from your recent work. You will learn how to describe these wins using clear numbers that show your value.
- Lesson
  Identify your strongest work achievements
  20 min
- Practice
  Calculate your ideal salary range
  15 min
  You work out a target range using your role, your results and market pay you have researched. The coach checks that your numbers are realistic and that you can explain where they come from.
- Practice
  Connect your wins to manager priorities
  20 min
  You link each of your three biggest wins to something your manager or team cares about. The coach checks that every point shows business value, not just effort.
Open the conversation
Skill 2, 30 min, 2 sessions
You will work with a guide to write a brief meeting invitation and outline what you will say first. You will get immediate feedback to ensure your request is direct and professional.
- Lesson
  Draft your invite and opening lines
  15 min
- Practice
  Try out your opening script
  15 min
  You open the raise conversation with Tim playing your manager. He listens for a clear ask in the first minute, a calm tone and a smooth move into your evidence.
Handle "not this year"
Skill 3, 35 min, 2 sessions
You will work with a guide to outline your plan for when a manager rejects your request. You will learn to control your initial reaction, ask constructive questions, and schedule a future follow-up.
- Lesson
  Plan your response to bad news
  15 min
- Practice
  Practice reacting to a firm no
  20 min
  Tim turns down your request firmly. He checks that you stay composed, ask what would need to change and agree a specific time to revisit the conversation.
Negotiate the package
Skill 4, 50 min, 3 sessions
You will work with your coach to break down your target raise into separate parts like job title, pay, and start date. Together, you will plan what trade-offs you are willing to make and how to ask for time to think before saying yes.
- Lesson
  Map out your negotiation strategy
  20 min
- Practice
  Trade offer pieces with your manager
  15 min
  Tim counters with a smaller raise or a delayed date and you negotiate title, pay and timing. He checks that you trade pieces sensibly instead of accepting or refusing everything at once.
- Practice
  Handle a high pressure offer
  15 min
  Tim pushes you to accept an offer on the spot. He listens for whether you thank him, ask for time to think and set a clear time to respond.
Close and follow up
Skill 5, 45 min, 3 sessions
You will work with a coach to map out the final minutes of your salary discussion. You will learn how to verbally summarize agreements and set up a written follow-up.
- Lesson
  Plan your final conversation steps
  15 min
- Practice
  End the meeting on good terms
  15 min
  You close the conversation with Tim by summarizing what was agreed and the next steps. He checks that your summary is accurate and that you leave the relationship in good shape.
- Practice
  Draft your follow up email
  15 min
  You write a short email recapping the meeting, the agreements and any dates. The coach checks that it is brief, factual and gives your manager something easy to confirm.

Start free with Tim Make it yours

How it works

How practice works with the AI coach

Creatium Coach is a live AI voice coach. You do not watch videos or fill in quizzes: you talk, it listens, and it answers like the real person would.

Learn it with a guide
Each skill opens with a guided lesson. The coach explains the idea, asks you questions and checks you have it before you move on.
Practice it out loud
In each practice the coach plays the other side: the interviewer, the customer, the buyer or your team. You answer in your own words, by voice.
Get one thing to fix
After every answer you hear what worked and the one change that would make it stronger, then you try again until it sounds right.
Make it yours
Tell the coach your role, your company or your situation and it reshapes the plan around your goal. The ready-made goal is just the start.

FAQ

Questions about how to ask for a raise

How do I ask for a raise when I am underpaid?

Start by gathering evidence: market pay data for your role and location from reliable salary sources, and a short list of your results with numbers where possible. Ask your manager for a dedicated conversation instead of raising it in passing. Lead with your contribution and the value you bring, then state the range you are asking for and why, keeping the tone factual rather than emotional. This plan helps you build that case and practice delivering it to Tim playing your manager.

How do I ask for a salary increment politely?

Be direct and respectful: request a short meeting, thank your manager for their support, then clearly say you would like to discuss your compensation. Explain your reasons based on your results and responsibilities, not personal needs or comparisons with coworkers. Ask what they think and listen, and if the answer is not yet, ask what it would take and when you can revisit it. The opening conversation session in this plan has you practice those first lines until they sound polite and confident.

Should I ask for a raise after one year?

A year is a common and reasonable point to discuss pay, especially if it lines up with your company's review cycle and you have clear results to show. What matters more than the time is your case: what you delivered, any growth in your responsibilities, and how your pay compares with the market. If your company has a fixed appraisal cycle, raise it a little before budgets are decided. This plan helps you prepare that case and practice the conversation, including what to do if the answer is not this year.

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