Asking for a raise by email

This is a different situation from the job-offer counter-offer email — you're not responding to a number someone gave you, you're the one initiating, often with a manager who's hard to pin down for a real conversation. That changes what the email needs to do.

The goal isn't to negotiate — it's to get a meeting

Trying to make the full case for a raise in the email itself is a common mistake. Emails are easy to defer, easy to answer with a noncommittal one-liner, and give you no ability to read the room or respond to pushback in real time. The email's only job is to request a specific, scheduled conversation, briefly stating why.

The template

“Subject: Time to discuss compensation Hi [Manager's name], I'd like to find some time in the next couple of weeks to talk through my compensation. Over the past [period], I've [one or two specific, concrete results — a number, a project, a scope change], and I want to make sure we're aligned on how that's reflected in my pay. Would [specific day/time, or a couple of options] work for a short conversation? Happy to work around your schedule. Thanks, [Your name]”

Why this structure works: it's specific enough to signal you're serious and prepared, short enough to read in ten seconds, and it proposes concrete times rather than leaving scheduling as another task your manager has to initiate. Vague requests ("can we chat sometime about my role?") are far easier to quietly deprioritize than a specific, dated ask.

If you get no response, follow up

“"Following up on this — I know things get busy, but I'd still like to find time in the next week or two if possible. Does [specific day] work, or would another day be easier?"”

If they ask you to put the ask in writing instead

This sometimes happens with managers who are avoidant about compensation conversations. It's reasonable to push gently for the live conversation once, since numbers negotiated over a real conversation tend to move more than numbers requested cold in an email — but if they insist, be ready with a second, longer email that does make the actual case, including your specific number and the results backing it.

If the meeting gets scheduled, our complete script for negotiating a raise at your performance review covers exactly what to say once you're in the room. And if this is actually about a job offer rather than an existing role, the counter-offer email templates are built for that specific situation instead.