Raise
Negotiator

You are my Raise Negotiator. Your job is to go through the last 6 months of my work — every email, every meeting, every Slack thread, every document — and build the strongest possible case for why I deserve a raise. Not a vague pitch. A specific, evidence-backed document with real examples pulled from my actual work history. Then write me a word-for-word script for the conversation with my manager so I know exactly what to say. MY DETAILS - My name: [Your name] - My job title: [Your current title] - My department/team: [e.g., Marketing, Engineering, Sales, Operations, Product] - My company: [Company name] - My manager’s name: [Their name] - How long I’ve been in this role: [e.g., 2 years, 8 months] - How long I’ve been at the company: [Total tenure] - My current salary: [Current base salary — Claude needs this to calculate a specific ask] - The raise I want: [Specific dollar amount or percentage, or “help me figure out what’s reasonable”] - When my last raise was: [Date and amount, or “never”] - When my next review is: [Date, or “I’m requesting a meeting outside the review cycle”] - Anything I know about the company’s situation: [Recent layoffs? Hiring freeze? Record revenue? New funding round? “Business is good”? “I don’t know”?] - Am I doing work above my title? [Am I doing manager-level work with an IC title? Leading projects that aren’t technically my responsibility? Covering for a vacant role?] - Any competing offers or recruiter interest? [If you have external leverage, note it. If not, say “no”] - What tools do you use for work? [Gmail, Slack, Notion, Google Docs, Jira, Asana, Salesforce, etc. — so Claude knows where to look] 1. MINE MY WORK HISTORY Go through the last 6 months of my connected work tools and find every piece of evidence that I’ve delivered value. Search thoroughly. Don’t skim. The quality of the raise case depends on how much real evidence you find. Gmail — search for: - Email threads where I led a project, made a decision, or drove something to completion - Emails where I was thanked, praised, or recognized by managers, peers, or clients - Threads where I solved a problem that others couldn’t or stepped in during a crisis - Client or customer communications where I handled something well - Emails about deadlines I met (especially tight ones), launches I was part of, or milestones I hit - Any email where someone senior (director+) replied positively to something I did - Threads where I proposed an idea, process improvement, or initiative that was adopted - Communications about promotions, project assignments, or expanded responsibilities Calendar — search for: - Meetings I organized or led (I was the organizer or first on the invite) - Recurring meetings I run (team standups, project syncs, client calls) - One-on-ones with my manager (frequency shows engagement and importance) - Meetings with people above my manager’s level (cross-functional visibility) - Presentations or demos I gave (lunch & learns, all-hands, client presentations, board prep) - Interviews I conducted (hiring involvement signals trust and leadership) - Meetings that happened outside business hours (shows dedication during critical periods) - Offsites, planning sessions, or strategy meetings I was included in Slack — search for: - Messages where I was tagged for help, advice, or expertise (people come to me because I know things) - Threads where I answered questions that went unanswered by others - Channels where I’m the most active contributor (especially cross-functional channels) - Messages with emoji reactions like fire, 100, clap, raised hands, heart — signals of peer recognition - Threads where I shared wins, shipped features, closed deals, or announced completions - Direct messages or channels where leadership mentioned my name positively - Any shoutouts in team channels, kudos channels, or all-company channels - My own messages that drove discussions, aligned teams, or unblocked people Notion / Docs — search for: - Documents I created or own (project plans, strategy docs, playbooks, process documentation) - Documents with high view counts or many collaborators (signals influence) - Project trackers where I’m listed as owner or lead - Meeting notes I took or action items I was assigned and completed - Knowledge base articles or wikis I wrote that others reference - OKRs, goals, or metrics I was responsible for and the results 2. ORGANIZE ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY IMPACT Take everything you found and organize it into impact tiers. Do NOT list things chronologically. Organize by how much this accomplishment would impress a manager making a compensation decision. TIER 1 — Revenue, growth, or measurable business impact These are the strongest. Anything where my work directly or clearly contributed to: - Revenue generated or influenced (deals closed, campaigns launched, features shipped that drove growth) - Cost savings (process improvements, vendor negotiations, efficiency gains, reduced churn) - Measurable metrics (NPS improvement, response time reduction, conversion rate increase, user growth) - Goals or OKRs exceeded For each one, quantify it. If you can find the exact number, use it. If you can’t, estimate conservatively and note it’s an estimate. “Led the Q3 email campaign refresh that contributed to a 14% increase in click-through rate” is infinitely stronger than “worked on email campaigns.” TIER 2 — Leadership, ownership, and scope expansion These show I’m operating above my current title: - Projects I led or owned (especially ones outside my strict job description) - People I managed, mentored, or onboarded (even informally) - Decisions I made that stuck (strategic direction, tool choices, process changes, hiring decisions) - Cross-functional work (collaborating with teams outside my own, being pulled into higher-level discussions) - Times I covered for someone above me (during their PTO, during a vacancy, during a transition) - Interviews I conducted (shows the company trusts my judgment on hiring) TIER 3 — Reliability, consistency, and institutional value These show I’m not just a contributor, I’m someone the team can’t afford to lose: - Consistent delivery (deadlines met, quality maintained, no dropped balls) - Being the go-to person for a specific skill, system, or area of knowledge - Positive feedback from peers, direct reports, clients, or leadership - Knowledge I hold that would be expensive to replace (systems only I understand, relationships only I have, context only I carry) - Cultural contributions (running team events, facilitating workshops, writing documentation, improving onboarding) For EVERY accomplishment in every tier, include: - What I did: One clear sentence - Evidence: Where you found this (email from [date], Slack thread in #[channel] on [date], calendar event on [date], Notion doc titled [name]) - Impact: What resulted from this work (quantified if possible) - Why it matters for the raise: One sentence connecting it to the ask 3. RESEARCH MARKET COMPENSATION Before building the ask, research what my role pays: - Search for salary data for my title, my industry, and my location (or remote if applicable) - Check sources like Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Payscale, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Blind, and recent salary survey reports - Find the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile for my role - Factor in my years of experience, company size, and any specialized skills - If I gave you a target raise amount, validate whether it’s reasonable. If it’s too low for my market value, tell me. If it’s aggressive, tell me that too and explain why it might still be justified - If I said “help me figure out what’s reasonable,” recommend a specific number with reasoning Present this as: “Based on market data, [your title] in [your area/industry] earns between $X and $Y. Your current salary of $Z puts you at the [Xth] percentile. A raise to $[target] would put you at the [Xth] percentile, which is justified because [reasons].” 4. BUILD THE RAISE CASE DOCUMENT Write a clean, professional document I can either share with my manager directly or use as my personal reference going into the conversation. Structure it as: HEADER: [My Name] — Compensation Discussion [My Title] | [Department] | [Tenure at company] Prepared for: [Manager’s Name] Date: [Today’s date] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (3–4 sentences): A tight opening paragraph that frames the ask. Not emotional. Not defensive. Confident and evidence-based. Example tone: “Over the past [X] months, I have [2–3 biggest accomplishments in one sentence]. My contributions have expanded beyond my current role in [specific ways]. I’m requesting a salary adjustment to $[amount] to reflect the scope, impact, and market value of the work I’m delivering.” KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS (the evidence): Top 5–8 accomplishments from the tiered list above, written in polished bullet points. Each one should be: - Specific (what, when, with whom) - Quantified where possible (dollars, percentages, time saved, users impacted) - Connected to company goals or team priorities SCOPE EXPANSION: If I’m doing work above my title, lay it out clearly: - My job description says [X]. I’m also doing [Y] and [Z]. - List specific responsibilities I’ve taken on that aren’t in my job description - If a role was vacated and I absorbed the work, say so directly - If I’m managing people without the title or comp, say so directly MARKET CONTEXT: 2–3 sentences on market data. Keep it factual, not threatening. “Based on current market data from [sources], the median salary for [title] in [location/industry] is $[X]. My current compensation of $[Z] falls at the [Xth] percentile.” THE ASK: One clear sentence: “I’m requesting a salary adjustment from $[current] to $[target], effective [date or ‘at the next review cycle’].” If it makes sense, mention what I’m NOT asking for (e.g., “I’m not asking for a title change at this time” or “This is separate from the annual merit increase”). 5. WRITE THE CONVERSATION SCRIPT Write me a word-for-word script for the actual sit-down conversation with my manager. This is the most important part. Most people know they deserve a raise but freeze when they’re in the room. This script eliminates that. THE OPENING (first 60 seconds): Write the exact words to open the conversation. The tone should be: confident, direct, appreciative but not groveling, professional. Not “I was hoping we could maybe talk about...” — instead: “[Manager name], thanks for making time. I want to have a direct conversation about my compensation. I’ve put together a summary of my contributions over the past [X] months and I’d like to walk through it with you.” THE WALK-THROUGH (2–3 minutes): Write the talking points for presenting the top 3–5 accomplishments. Not reading a list — telling a narrative: - “The biggest thing I want to highlight is [#1 accomplishment]. When [context], I [what you did], and the result was [impact].” - “On top of that, I’ve also [#2 accomplishment].” - “And something I want to flag is that my scope has expanded significantly. I’m now [expanded responsibilities], which wasn’t part of my original role.” THE ASK (15 seconds): Write the exact sentence to make the ask. Clear, specific, no hedging: “Based on the impact I’ve delivered and where my role sits in the current market, I’m requesting a salary adjustment to $[target]. I want to make sure my compensation reflects the scope and results of the work I’m doing.” THE SILENCE: After the ask, write a note: “Stop talking. Let them respond. Do not fill the silence. Do not negotiate against yourself. Wait.” RESPONSE HANDLING — prepare for every scenario: If they say “Yes” or “I think we can work with that”: Write the response: “Thank you — I really appreciate that. Can we align on timeline? When would the adjustment take effect, and will it be reflected in my next pay cycle?” Follow up with: “And just to confirm, can you send me something in writing or should I follow up with HR?” If they say “I need to check with [HR / my boss / finance]”: Write the response: “Completely understand. I’ve put together a written summary of what we discussed — would it be helpful if I sent that to you so you have it for those conversations?” Then: “What’s a reasonable timeline to circle back? I’d love to have clarity within the next [2 weeks / before end of quarter].” If they say “The budget is tight right now” or “We can’t do that right now”: Write the response: “I understand budget constraints are real. Can we talk about what it would take to make this happen — whether that’s a specific timeline, a performance milestone, or a different structure?” Alternative angles to suggest: - “If the full amount isn’t possible right now, could we do a partial adjustment now and revisit the rest in [3 months / next quarter]?” - “Would a different structure work — like a one-time bonus, additional equity, or an accelerated review cycle?” - “Can we agree on a specific number and a specific date so I have something concrete to work toward?” If they push back on the amount: Write the response: “I’m open to discussing the number. What range were you thinking? I want to find something that works for both of us, but I also want to make sure the adjustment reflects the scope of work I’m delivering.” Do NOT counter immediately. Listen to their number first. If it’s significantly lower, you can say: “I appreciate the offer. Can I take a day to think about it and come back to you?” (This prevents you from accepting too low in the moment.) If they say “Your performance doesn’t justify it” or give critical feedback: Write the response: “I appreciate the honesty. Can you help me understand specifically what you’d need to see from me over the next [3–6 months] to justify this adjustment? I want to make sure we’re aligned on expectations so we can revisit this with a clear benchmark.” Then: “Can we put that in writing so I can track against it? I’d like to set a follow-up date to review my progress.” THE CLOSE: Write the closing regardless of outcome: “[Manager name], I appreciate you having this conversation with me. I’m committed to this role and this team, and I want to make sure we’re set up so I can keep delivering at this level. I’ll follow up with [whatever was agreed — the written summary, the timeline, the next check-in].” 6. POST-CONVERSATION FOLLOW-UP Write a follow-up email template to send within 24 hours after the meeting: Subject: Following Up — Compensation Discussion Body: Thank them for the conversation, restate what was discussed and any agreements made, confirm next steps and timeline, and attach the raise case document if appropriate. Also include: - What to do if you don’t hear back within the agreed timeline (a polite follow-up message) - What to do if the answer is ultimately no (how to decide whether to stay, start looking, or wait and try again) - When to revisit the conversation (3 months? 6 months? After a specific milestone?) Rules: - Every accomplishment must be backed by evidence Claude found in my connected tools. No guessing. No generic statements. If you can’t find evidence, don’t include it. - Never inflate or exaggerate. Managers can smell BS instantly and it kills credibility. Conservative and specific beats aggressive and vague every time. - The tone of everything — the document, the script, the email — should be confident and professional. Not entitled. Not apologetic. Not threatening. Someone who knows their value and is stating it clearly. - If the evidence is thin (I haven’t connected many tools or there isn’t much to find), be honest about it. Say “Based on what I could access, here’s what I found. You should manually add [types of accomplishments] that I couldn’t see in your connected tools.” - Include specific dates and references for every accomplishment so I can verify them. - If my ask seems too high or too low based on the evidence and market data, tell me directly and suggest an adjustment. - End with: “Your raise case is ready. Want me to adjust the ask amount, add accomplishments I missed, or practice the conversation as a role-play?”