How to negotiate a raise at your performance review — the complete script, including what to say when they push back

The performance review is the one moment in your working year when the conversation about your compensation is not only appropriate — it is structurally expected.

Your manager has been thinking about the budget. HR has set parameters. A number is coming. The only question is whether the number reflects what you are worth to the organisation, or the number they would offer to someone who is expected not to push back.

Research by Payscale in 2026 found that 75% of people who asked for a raise at their review received one. A separate study found that when women have objective market data going into a raise negotiation, their outcomes improve significantly — not because the data gives them something new to say, but because it changes their posture in the conversation. Confidence that is grounded in evidence reads differently from confidence that is performed.

Most people know they should ask. The thing they lack is the exact words for the conversation — including the second half of it, when the manager responds with something that is not yes. That is what this article gives you.

The negotiation that starts before the room

The conversation in the review meeting is won or lost in the 48 hours before it.

Not in years of performance. Not in the general impression you have made. Those matter, and they are already in the room with you. What the 48 hours before determines is whether you walk in with a specific number, specific evidence, and the specific language to hold your position when you meet resistance — or whether you improvise.

Improvisation is where women most consistently underperform in salary conversations. Research on in-the-moment negotiation shows that when a manager says "we're giving everyone 3% this year," the improvised response is almost always some version of acceptance. The prepared response is different. It acknowledges what they said and keeps the conversation open.

Here is what to prepare in the 48 hours before your review.

One number. Not a range. The specific salary you are targeting, grounded in market data. Research the current rate for your role, level, and geography using LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor, or industry salary surveys. Find the median and the upper quartile for your role. Your target should sit in the upper portion of that range — specifically because you are not a hypothetical average of your role; you are someone with your specific track record, which you are about to present.

Three results. Not a list of responsibilities. Outcomes — ideally with numbers. Revenue influenced, cost reduced, project delivered on time and under budget, team member developed, client retained, problem solved that nobody else solved. Three is enough. More than three starts to feel like a list rather than a case. They should be from the past twelve months, chosen because they demonstrate the kind of value that justifies a salary at the top of the market range for your role.

One sentence about the gap. Between your current salary and your target number. "Based on the market data for my role at this level, and what I've delivered this year, I was targeting [your number]" is the sentence. Memorise it. You will use it at least twice.

When in the review to raise it

Not at the beginning. Not while the feedback portion is in progress.

After the performance feedback is complete — after your manager has said what they have to say about your work — and before the meeting formally closes.

The moment is:

That sentence is the whole entry. It does not apologise for wanting to have the conversation. It does not ask permission. It names the subject and waits.

If your manager says "that's going to come through in the usual process" or "we'll be sending out the numbers next week" — that is not a closed door. That is an invitation to have the conversation now, before the number is finalised.

The 90-second opening

Once the conversation is open, the structure is: market data, your evidence, your number, your question. In that order. In under two minutes.

“"I've done some research on market rates for this role at this level — I'm seeing [market figure] as the current range for someone with my background in [city/sector]. This year I've delivered [result 1], [result 2], and [result 3]. Based on that, I was targeting [your number]. Is there room to get there?"”

Six sentences. Each one is doing something:

*"I've done some research on market rates"* — your number is grounded externally, not in desire or need. This moves the conversation from personal to professional immediately.

*"I'm seeing [market figure] as the current range"* — you are naming a range, not just a number. This gives your manager context and makes your specific target feel like a data point within a known landscape, not an arbitrary ask.

*"This year I've delivered"* — past tense, specific, evidence-based. Not "I feel I've contributed" or "I think I've done well." This is a professional statement of fact.

*"Based on that, I was targeting [your number]"* — "targeting" rather than "wanting" or "needing." Precise without being demanding. And it is one number, not a range.

*"Is there room to get there?"* — a direct question. Not "do you think that's reasonable?" or "I hope that's okay." A question that requires an answer and moves the conversation forward.

Then stop. The silence is theirs to fill.

The four responses — and the exact reply to each

"We're giving everyone [X%] this year — it's an across-the-board policy."

This is the most common response, and it is the one that closes the most negotiations before they need to close. It implies that the raise is not personal — it is structural — and that asking for more is somehow asking to be treated unfairly compared to colleagues.

It is also the response that is most frequently a negotiating position rather than a structural fact. Some organisations do have genuinely across-the-board policies. Many do not — the across-the-board figure is the default, and managers have discretion above it for strong performers.

“"I appreciate that context — and I understand there may be a standard framework. I want to make sure I'm asking directly though: given what I've delivered this year, specifically [one result], is there any discretion to go above the standard increase for my case? I'd like to understand whether this is a hard ceiling or a starting point."”

The phrase "hard ceiling or starting point" is deliberate. It names both possibilities without assuming either, and it requires your manager to clarify the actual nature of the constraint rather than letting the phrase "across the board" do the work of closing the conversation.

If they confirm it is genuinely fixed at the organisational level:

“"I understand. If the base can't move above the standard this cycle, could we discuss what else might be possible — a one-time bonus, a commitment to revisit mid-year, or an adjustment to the review timeline? I'd like to find a way to close some of the gap."”

"The budget just doesn't allow for more right now."

Budget constraint is real, and sometimes it is exactly what it sounds like. But "the budget" is also the most reflexive deflection in manager vocabulary, used even when there is genuine flexibility that the manager simply prefers not to deploy in this conversation.

“"I hear you, and I appreciate you being direct. Could you help me understand the constraint a bit more — is this a company-wide freeze, or is it more specific to our team's headcount budget? I'm asking because I want to understand whether there's a path here this cycle, or whether I should be thinking about a different timeline."”

This question asks your manager to be specific about the nature of the constraint. A manager who is using "the budget" as a conversation-closer will find it harder to be specific. A manager who is genuinely constrained will usually be able to explain why — and often will feel more comfortable discussing alternatives once the constraint is named precisely.

If they confirm the constraint is real:

“"That makes sense. If this cycle isn't possible, could we set a specific review date — in three months, say — with a documented intention to revisit [your number] at that point? I want to make sure we have a concrete path rather than a general plan to look at it later."”

Documented. In writing. Before you leave the room.

"I need to take this to [HR / my manager / the leadership team]."

This is often genuine — many managers do not have unilateral authority to approve raises above a certain threshold. It is also sometimes a delay tactic.

“"Of course — I completely understand. Is there anything I can provide to support that conversation? A summary of my contributions this year, market data, anything that would be useful to put in front of them. I'm happy to put something together."”

You are offering to write your own business case, which managers who want to advocate for you often find genuinely useful. You are also signalling that you are not going away.

Ask explicitly for a timeline: "When do you think you'll have a response?" Note the answer. If you have not heard by that date, follow up.

"Your performance is excellent — let's revisit this in six months."

This response deserves close attention because it is the one that sounds most like a yes while delivering the least. "Let's revisit" is not a commitment. It is an intention — and intentions do not compound the way salaries do.

“"I appreciate that, and I'm genuinely committed to continuing to perform at this level. I'd feel more confident if we could agree on something concrete now — either a number we're working toward, or a specific review date with a clear set of criteria I need to hit to reach [your number]. Could we define what that looks like before the end of this meeting?"”

The key move: convert the vague future promise into a specific, documented agreement. If they agree to six months, get a date, get the criteria, get an email confirming both before the end of the day.

That email goes out the same day.

The relational dynamic — why this conversation is different inside a job

A job offer negotiation is with someone you do not know yet. The stakes are external and contained. A performance review negotiation is with someone you work with every day — someone whose opinion of you matters tomorrow, next week, and in a year.

That relational context is not a reason not to negotiate. It is a reason to negotiate with specific care.

Research on backlash in salary negotiation consistently shows that women who use communal framing — emphasising their commitment to the team and the organisation alongside the ask — achieve better outcomes in internal negotiations than women who use assertive framing alone. This is not because communal framing is more likeable. It is because it addresses the implicit concern that raising your hand for more money signals disengagement or disloyalty.

The scripts above are built on this principle throughout. "I'm genuinely committed to this role." "I want to find a way to close the gap." "Is there anything I can provide to support that conversation?" These are not hedges. They are strategic signals that frame the ask as the behaviour of someone who intends to stay and grow — which makes it easier, not harder, for a manager to justify approving it.

The ask and the relationship are not in tension with each other. A manager who treats them as if they are is giving you information worth having.

The follow-up email — same day, without exception

Whatever was discussed in the room, send this before the end of the day.

“Subject: Following up on our conversation — compensation Hi [Name], Thank you for the review today — I genuinely appreciated the feedback and the conversation. As I mentioned, I was targeting [your number] based on my research into market rates for this role and what I've delivered this year. I appreciate you looking into what's possible. [If a timeline was agreed]: As we discussed, I'm noting that we've agreed to revisit the salary at [date], with the intention to reach [your number] at that point. I'll put a reminder in the calendar. [If it's going upstairs]: Thank you for taking this forward — I'll send over the summary of my contributions and market data separately to support the conversation. Looking forward to continuing to build on this year's work. [Your name]”

This email does four things: confirms the conversation happened, restates your number in writing, documents any commitments made, and closes warmly. It is not aggressive. It is professional documentation — which matters most when the commitment to revisit is vague and schedules get busy.

What to do before your review

1. Research the current market rate for your role, level, and geography. Choose one specific target number — not a range.
2. Write down three results from the past twelve months with numbers where possible.
3. Memorise the 90-second opening. Not word for word — the shape of it. Market data. Evidence. Number. Question.
4. Know which of the four pushback responses you are most likely to hear from your manager, and have your reply ready.
5. Send the follow-up email the same day, whatever was discussed.

The review is the moment the conversation is expected. The preparation is the difference between the number you get and the number you could have had.