How to Score a Raise

Illustration: Colin Hayes

Fail-safe tactics to get ahead on the payroll

1. Show eagerness by discussing the issue with your boss on the spot.
2. Over-ask with such an inflated salary request that the counter offer will surely be high enough.
3. Lay the groundwork early—install a gong at your desk to ensure the entire office is privy to all of your accomplishments as they happen.
4. Invent a fictitious offer from a competitor; make your boss jealous.
5. Don’t hesitate to throw colleagues under the bus to show your clear superiority.
6. If the above fails, tie yourself to a chair, protest-style, until the brass adhere to your demands.