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I asked ChatGPT how to negotiate a raise. Career coaches said I'd probably get one by following the AI chatbot's steps and script.


 If you've ever asked for a raise before, you know the task can feel pretty daunting. How do you prepare for the conversation? What do you say? 

Enter ChatGPT. For those unaware, ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that's been making the rounds online for its ability to do everything from passing Wharton business school exams to writing music.

Some people have turned to ChatGPT to outsource mundane work tasks or even help them land new jobs. In a survey of 4,500 employees conducted by the professional social networking app Fishbowl earlier this month, nearly 30% reported having already used ChatGPT to assist with work-related tasks.

But can ChatGPT help you get a raise? 

I recently put the tool to the test to find out. (For those wondering, no, I did not use any of ChatGPT's responses to negotiate a raise for myself!)

I started simply: I told ChatGPT "ask my boss for a raise" to see what response that would yield. The chatbot spat out a six-part outline of steps to take in preparation.

Asking your boss for a raise can be a difficult conversation to have, but if you prepare well and communicate your case effectively, it can be a successful one. Here are a few steps you can take to prepare: Do your research: Look up industry standards for salaries in your field and gather data on the average salary for someone with your level of experience and qualifications. This will help you make a strong case for why you deserve a raise. Review your achievements: Think about the accomplishments you've had in your current role and how they've benefited the company. Be prepared to provide specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond your job duties and how it has helped the company. Understand your company's financials: Look into the company's overall financial situation. Show your manager that you understand the overall financial situation of the company and that you are aware of the specific financial goals of the company. Prepare a plan of action: Show your manager that you're not just asking for more money, but that you have a plan for how you will continue to contribute to the company and help it grow. Propose specific, measurable goals that you will work towards to justify the raise. Practice what you're going to say: Practice what you're going to say to your boss, so that you can feel more comfortable and confident when it's time to have the conversation. Be prepared for any outcome: Keep in mind that your boss may not agree to your request, and be prepared to have a constructive conversation about why that might be the case and what you can do in the future to increase your chances of getting the raise. When you have the conversation, it's important to be confident, but also be respectful and understanding of your boss's perspective. Remember to present the information in a logical and data-driven way, and always be open to feedback and follow-up discussions.
ChatGPT screenshot

I wanted to see if ChatGPT would get more specific and offer a script, so I refined my question to "What do I say when asking for a raise?" ChatGPT then gave me a very similar list of preparation steps but also tacked on a brief script template.

Here is an example of how you could phrase your request: "I've been working at the company for [X amount of time] now and have been consistently meeting and exceeding my performance goals. I've also been taking on additional responsibilities and have been a key player in the success of several projects. I believe that my contributions have added value to the company and have been vital in achieving our goals. Research and data shows that the average salary for someone with my qualifications and experience in this industry is [research data]. I would like to request a raise of [X% or specific amount] to align with this industry standard. Additionally, I have a plan of action on how I can help the company continue to grow, for example: [Specific, measurable goal], [Another specific, measurable goal], etc."
ChatGPT screenshot

I turned to a few experts to see what they thought of ChatGPT's suggestions.

Career coaches Esther Leonard and Mandi Woodruff-Santos told me ChatGPT's answers didn't seem obviously AI-generated and that a person could probably get a raise if they followed those steps and the script template.

But there are a few ways you can improve ChatGPT's suggestions to make a stronger case, they said.

For example, while the steps were in the generally correct order that Leonard recommends for clients preparing for a raise negotiation, they could use some more specificity, she said.

"It would be helpful to add how your contributions have impacted the company's financials or will continue to impact the financials," Leonard said. "It isn't enough to just talk about the financials."

Another useful tip that ChatGPT didn't include is to "ask for a little more than what you want," Leonard said. If you want a $5,000 raise, for example, ask for $6,000 to $8,000.

As for the script template, Woodruff-Santos says the general foundation is solid but should be viewed as just that — a foundation to build upon. She suggests breaking down the script, line by line, on a document and supplementing it with concrete examples showing your impact.

"Take each sentence of this script and have it outlined on the doc with some additional talking points so that you're making it feel less like you're reading from a script, which can be a little awkward, and more like something that you've put thought into presenting," she says.

The script ends a bit abruptly, so Leonard advises tying it together with a closing sentence along the lines of, "I'm excited to learn how we can work on a raise to reflect my market value and my contributions to this company."

So there we have it. ChatGPT may help put you on the path to landing a raise, but you should still put in some work to make your case as strong as possible.

"At the end of the day, ChatGPT is going to give you suggestions and a nice framework to start with," Woodruff-Santos said. "But then you want to put it in your own words and make sure that it sounds natural to you."

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