If your firm doesn’t have a robust, progressive appraisal system that will automatically promote you for good performance (unlikely outside a very large organisation), then you need to demonstrate your ability before asking. This lets you knock on the door and say, “I feel I’m deserving because of X, Y and Z,” rather than, “I’d like more money and think I can prove how good I can be.

I’ve a friend who took a job in a clothing warehouse. His colleagues would be in jeans and t-shirts but every day he wore trousers with a shirt and tie. He was ridiculed at the beginning but that soon faded and when the next supervisor role became available he was the one chosen for promotion. Sure, it was awarded on more than dress sense but his clothes were typical of his work rate and non-vanilla performance.

Acting up is the easiest way to gain promotion and that pay rise, as you will have made yourself the natural choice. Saying “Honestly, I can do better. Promote me and I’ll show you,’ is the wrong way to be thinking. Think of the corporal whose behaviour and performance is so good it’s more like a sergeant’s than a corporal’s.

Some housekeeping –

Ask your boss or line manager for some time when you can both talk without interruption;

They’re not stupid and will anticipate a couple of things: your either going to say you’re leaving, ask for more money, or hit them with a sizable problem (not too many people ask for time to make a great business suggestion – unfortunately);

Put your case forward politely with facts about what you’ve achieved and how you plan on furthering your department or area still;

Try to leave emotion out of it, as paying for your daughter’s braces and your husband’s 50^th birthday present aren’t business reasons for increasing costs;

Start with a thank you (perhaps for the opportunities provided so far or for the time he/she is taking now).

Save any aggression and threats for the sport’s field. If you go on the offensive, you’re odds on to meet equal bravado or at least a shut down on what you want to be an open conversation.

Remember: prove your quality first; prove value for money.