Whether you're a relatively new employee to a company, or a stalwart that's been there almost as long as the first brick laid, asking for a pay raise can still be a fairly nerve-wracking experience. You don't want to come across as ungrateful, or pushy, but at the same time, if you're not getting paid what you feel you're worth, you need to do something about it. Thankfully, there are a few tips on how best to ask your employer for a raise.

- Be Prepared

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when asking for a pay raise is that they generally don't think it through. You may feel you're worth the extra money in your wage, but you won't get very far if that's the only approach you're going to take. So, make a note of your strongest points:

·If you're in sales, collate all the new clients and profits you've brought to the company

·If you're in a service role, make a list of how you've given customers a more positive view of the company

·If you're in an administrative role, show how you help the office run smoother and more efficiently by your daily actions

These tips can be transferred to any industry – the key factor is to show your actual value to both your boss and the company, as opposed to what you feel you're worth.

- Be Realistic

Although you may feel you deserve another couple of thousand pounds in the bank each year, the truth of the matter is that unless you've been especially successful and an asset to the company, any raise you do get will be more in line with inflation and what the company can afford. Stay small to medium and let yourself be (hopefully) pleasantly surprised.

- Be Responsible

One of the best ways to initiate a raise is to take more responsibility in your current role. This doesn't mean you have to work all hours under the sun, or not have a life anymore. Simply state that you feel extremely comfortable in your position and that you'd like to take a more hands-on approach, if possible. Someone who is working for the good of the company is more likely to get a raise than someone just in for the monthly wage.

- Take The Personal Approach

The worst thing you can do is to send an impersonal email asking for a meeting, or leave a letter on the boss's desk with your pay raise request in it. Bosses are human beings too, and just like anyone else, they'll appreciate you taking the time to speak to them face-to-face, as opposed to something impersonal like an email or letter, and be more open to the suggestion of a raise because of it. Therefore, just mention that you'd like a meeting to discuss your role in the company if possible.

- Listen As Well As Talk

Finally, when you're in the meeting itself, although you're trying to get your points across as to why you deserve a raise, don't be the only one talking. Your boss will be far more receptive if you listen to their reasons why you should or shouldn't get a raise at this moment in time, and it will also allow you to discuss in an open and friendly way what happens next, and how you can help your boss decide if you deserve the raise.