Salary review guide: How to talk your way to a higher salary

A salary review is a formal conversation between you and your manager about salary and salary development. It is a clarification of expectations, not a salary negotiation. You will have the opportunity to argue why you deserve a higher salary, while at the same time you can get feedback from your manager on what is needed. It's simply a conversation about your salary level and what both of you think about it.

Why the salary review is important for higher pay

Salary is not just about money and cents. The conversation can also clarify expectations, goals and development opportunities.

These are the benefits of a salary interview:

• Motivates employees and shows recognition
• Provides insight into salary levels and market wages
• Creates clarity in expectations and performance
• Laying the foundation for future wage negotiations

Aarbakke points out that employers have agreed on the value of conducting salary discussions. In fact, they are enshrined in most of NITO's collective agreements, and that most managers have many such conversations during the course of a year. It is therefore completely normal, and completely harmless.

Good preparation is the key to a good salary review

A successful  salary interview requires good preparation. If you want to get a higher salary, you must be able to document why you deserve it. If you are well prepared for the meeting, the actual implementation of the conversation will also be easier.

How to prepare for a salary review - Think through:

• What results have you created? What are your three best performances last year?
• Why would it be worthwhile for the employer to give you more in salary?
• Have you acquired new skills?
• Have you had extra responsibility, been a problem solver or contributed beyond what is expected?
• Do you collaborate well with others and contribute to a good environment? Feel free to give examples, not just "I'm good at cooperating".
• How do you contribute to the management of the assets in the business? Make a note of specific examples. This is the key to good arguments for a wage increase.

" If you contribute to the community by creating a good working environment, it should be shown on your payslip. Be positive, highlight your colleagues by talking well about them and be a yes-person. When people are happy, they perform better," says Aarbakke.

Your market value is what you could earn in other jobs

To argue for a higher salary, you need to know what you are worth in the market. Use NITO's salary calculator and salary statistics for engineers to find out what you should earn.

• Compare yourself to others in the same work group and region
• Talk to colleagues, former classmates and other NITO members

– Research what your market value is. How are you doing in relation to colleagues or others in your industry? Ask your colleagues what they earn. It is only the employer who benefits from no one talking about salary," Aarbakke emphasizes.

Transparency about salaries means that engineers and technologists are more informed about what they are worth in the market. Then it is also easier to demand market wages from the start.

The more you understand the big picture, the better you can argue

Before you ask for a raise, you should understand your employer's situation. Examine the company's finances and development – how is the business doing? Is there room for a salary increase, and what are the management's priorities going forward?

The more you understand the big picture, the better you can make a realistic case for higher pay.

The salary review is a clarification of expectations, not a negotiation

The salary review is a formal conversation, but nothing to be afraid of. The conversation is useful for your manager as well. It may not be your immediate manager who ultimately determines your salary, but he will bring it further up in the system to those who make the final decision.

It is a good idea to make a summary of the salary discussion

It is a good idea to make a summary of the salary discussion. You can do this yourself, so you can take note of what you have both highlighted as main points along the way. Share with the manager afterwards, and you will make the job easier for the manager when your arguments are to be used further in connection with the salary distribution.

If you do not receive a higher salary

It is not a given that you will receive a higher salary even if you have a salary review. But take the opportunity to ask what it will take to get a higher salary next time. Are there opportunities to take on new tasks? And check with your manager about when you can have the next salary review – follow up.

"Even if you don't get through now, you show that you are ambitious and want development. This lays the foundation for the next pay round," says Aarbakke.

After the salary interview

Did you get any feedback on what it takes for your salary development to improve? Think about how you can work with this in the future.

Were you not satisfied with the conversation? Contact your local union representatives and ask about what usually pays you in terms of salary. They have the best overview of the salary situation, salary criteria and agreements at your workplace.