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Career Reshaped Episode 41: Hiring Managers Explain How To Get A Pay Rise
What if the biggest barrier to your salary increase isn’t your manager, but how you prepare for the negotiation?
In this episode of Career Reshaped, Natasha and Pauline tackle one of the most important conversations in any career—how to negotiate a pay rise during your performance review. Asking for a raise can feel intimidating, but with the right preparation, you can approach the discussion with confidence and clarity.
You’ll discover why knowing your market value is the foundation for a successful salary negotiation, how documenting your achievements strengthens your case, and why timing your request matters. Natasha and Pauline also share strategies to frame the conversation as an investment in retaining top talent—because securing fair compensation is not just about money, it’s about recognition of your value.
Beyond pay, they explore other forms of compensation worth negotiating, such as flexible work arrangements, additional leave, superannuation contributions, and professional development opportunities. You’ll also hear why listening to feedback, staying professional, and knowing when to walk away are essential parts of the negotiation process.
This episode is designed for anyone preparing for a performance review or considering how to ask for a raise. Packed with practical salary negotiation tips and career insights, Natasha and Pauline show you how to approach the conversation with confidence and walk away with greater clarity, value, and respect.
🎧 Tune in now to learn how to negotiate a pay rise effectively, secure fair compensation, and take the next step in your career growth.
Discussion Overview
| Time | Transcript |
|---|---|
| 0:02 | Everyone, welcome back to Career Reshaped. I'm Natasha. And I'm Pauline. |
| 0:06 | And today we are tackling a topic that's top of mind for many Australian workers |
| 0:12 | right now. It's negotiating a pay increase during your performance review. |
| 0:18 | Absolutely. Performance review season can be a mix of emotions, right? You're |
| 0:23 | reflecting on your achievements. You're getting feedback and hopefully thinking |
| 0:27 | about a paper. That's right. Hopefully, |
| 0:32 | but asking for more money can feel a little bit daunting. So, we are here to |
| 0:39 | break down some key strategies to help you confidently negotiate a pay increase |
| 0:45 | in the workplace. First things first, know your worth. Before you even step |
| 0:51 | into that review meeting, do your research. What's the going rate for your |
| 0:55 | role and experience level in the market? Visit websites like Seek, Indeed, Glass |
| 1:00 | Door. They can give you a good benchmark of where things are at. This is crucial. |
| 1:06 | You need to come to the table with a realistic understanding of your market |
| 1:11 | value. So consider factors like your location. Sal can differ between cities |
| 1:17 | like Melbourne and Perth, for example. So your industry and your specific |
| 1:22 | skills and accomplishment also come to play. |
| 1:26 | Exactly. And that leads to our second point. Document your achievements. Don't |
| 1:31 | rely solely on your manager's memory or your own. Throughout the review period, |
| 1:36 | keep a record of your key achievements, successful projects, and any times that |
| 1:40 | you've gone above and beyond. Start writing them down. Something's happened, |
| 1:45 | write it down or have a reminder go off at the end of each week to jot it down |
| 1:49 | and think about what you've done that week. Quantify your achievements |
| 1:53 | whenever possible. Numbers and data speak volumes. |
| 1:58 | Exactly. This is your ammunition. When you're making your case for a higher |
| 2:02 | salary, you can refer to the specific examples of your contribution and the |
| 2:08 | value that it brings to the company. Like Natasha, like you just said, you |
| 2:13 | cannot assume or rely on your manager to be doing any of that and remembering any |
| 2:19 | of the things that you have done. And the next important step is that |
| 2:24 | timing is key. The performance review is the neutral time to discuss |
| 2:29 | compensation, but it's always wise to plant the seed beforehand. A casual |
| 2:35 | conversation with your manager a few weeks prior. Mentioning your |
| 2:39 | satisfaction with the role and your hopes for discussing growth and |
| 2:44 | compensation in the upcoming review can be a good way to open the dialogue. |
| 2:49 | Exactly. cuz this can also take some of that pressure off the formal meeting. So |
| 2:55 | now during the review itself, you can be a lot more confident and professional. |
| 3:00 | Clearly state your desire for a salary increase and back it up with the |
| 3:06 | research and your achievements that you have prepared. Frame it as an investment |
| 3:11 | in retaining you as a valuable employee because you are an investment for the |
| 3:16 | company. Oh, 100%. and be prepared to negotiate, |
| 3:20 | not demand. Don't be too mean about it. Your initial |
| 3:24 | request might not be met with an immediate yes. It's not a guarantee. Be |
| 3:29 | open to a conversation and understand the company's perspective. Perhaps |
| 3:34 | there's simply no room for negotiation on the percentage increase. Or maybe |
| 3:38 | there are other benefits you can discuss. It could be increased |
| 3:42 | superenuation contributions or professional development opportunities. |
| 3:46 | maybe they could pay for you to be upskilled which are also really valuable |
| 3:52 | in any industry. That's actually a really good point. So |
| 3:57 | it's just not about always the salary is what else can you get? Things like |
| 4:03 | additional leave, flexible working arrangements, training budgets can |
| 4:07 | significantly enhance your overall compensation package. So if there is no |
| 4:15 | budget to give you that increase, well what else can they give you? Exactly. |
| 4:22 | and also remember to listen actively to your manager's feedback and be receptive |
| 4:26 | to their perspective. Understand any concerns they might have and address |
| 4:32 | them calmly and professionally. It is negotiation. It's a conversation. It's |
| 4:38 | not a fight. that's right. Even though it can be |
| 4:42 | frustrating, you're right. It's not a fight. You are professional. Just |
| 4:46 | remember that. But look, the last point that I want to add to this negotiation |
| 4:53 | is know when to walk away. That's really important. So, if you feel your request |
| 4:59 | is consistently undervalued and there's just no room for movement or other |
| 5:06 | alternative benefits that we just discussed, you might need to consider |
| 5:10 | your options. However, aim for positive and respectful conclusion to the |
| 5:16 | negotiation regardless of the outcome. And we're not I'm not advocating that |
| 5:22 | you immediately resign and look for another job. But if you feel as though |
| 5:27 | you are undervalued, then it might be something that you need to consider, |
| 5:32 | right? But you need to remember that negotiating a pay rise can feel |
| 5:36 | challenging. But by being prepared, knowing your worth, and communicating |
| 5:40 | effectively, you can significantly increase your chances of a successful |
| 5:45 | outcome in the performance review or anytime you have that conversation. This |
| 5:50 | is true. And I would like to also add that if you don't ask, the answer will |
| 5:56 | always be no. Anyway, uh what are your experiences with a pay rise negotiation? |
| 6:04 | Love to hear from you. So, if you can share your tips and stories in the |
| 6:09 | comments below, that would be amazing. And if you found this advice helpful, |
| 6:13 | make sure to like this video and subscribe to Career Reshaped for more |
| 6:17 | career insight tailored to the Aussie market. |
| 6:20 | Thank you for watching and we'll catch you in the next one. |
| 6:23 | Bye. |
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