How to ask for a pay rise without fear: a 3‑minute script

“I was terrified,” one reader from Adelaide told us. “I’d been at the same salary for three years. I used the script. My boss was quiet for what felt like forever — probably 15 seconds. Then he said: ‘How about 8% instead of 10?’ I almost cried with relief. The raise didn’t change my life, but my confidence skyrocketed. Now I wish I’d asked sooner.”

Another reader, a nurse in Brisbane, said: “I work in a public hospital, so salaries are fixed bands. But I used a version of the script to ask for a higher classification. I documented every extra duty I’d taken on. My manager agreed to submit a reclassification. It took six months, but I went up two pay grades. The conversation cost me three minutes of courage.”

The bottom line: Your boss is not a mind reader. They are busy, distracted, and often assume you’re happy because you haven’t complained. Asking for a raise is not greed — it’s professional self‑respect. Even if the answer is no, you’ve planted a seed. And you’ve proven to yourself that you can speak up. That alone is worth the discomfort. Send the calendar invite today. Practise the script tonight. Ask tomorrow.