How much of a raise should I ask for?

Base it on market pay for your role and city and on any new responsibilities. Many people ask for a raise that brings them into the middle or upper part of the market range.

Is it better to ask for a raise by letter or in person?

Do both. A short letter or email sets out your case, and a meeting is where you talk it through.

When should I ask for a raise?

Before budgets are set, after a strong result or when your role has grown. Avoid times when the company has just announced cuts.

Where does the salary data come from?

Your agent searches public salary sites, job ads and government wage data and shows the links, so you can check every number yourself.

Raise request letter backed by your results and market pay

Asking for more money is easier when the numbers do the talking. This prompt has your todo.is agent research salary ranges for your role and city from public sources, with links, then write a raise request letter that pairs your results with that data and asks for a specific number.

The prompt

Write a raise request letter to [MANAGER NAME]. I am [YOUR NAME], [JOB TITLE] at [COMPANY] in [CITY], earning [CURRENT SALARY]. My last raise was [WHEN]. Results since then: [3 TO 5 RESULTS WITH NUMBERS]. First research current salary ranges for my role and level in my city from several public sources and show them with links in a short table. Then suggest a fair target and ask for [TARGET SALARY OR "SUGGEST ONE"]. Professional, confident, under 300 words, ending with a request to meet. Give me a Word file, the salary research as a one-page PDF, and replies to the 3 most likely objections.

What to change

[MANAGER NAME]: Who decides on pay, e.g. "David Chen".
[YOUR NAME]: Your name.
[JOB TITLE]: E.g. "Marketing Coordinator".
[COMPANY]: Your employer.
[CITY]: E.g. "Chicago". Pay varies a lot by location.
[CURRENT SALARY]: E.g. "$58,000 a year".
[WHEN]: E.g. "March 2025" or "when I was hired 2 years ago".
[3 TO 5 RESULTS WITH NUMBERS]: E.g. "grew email revenue 34%; took over social media when a colleague left; launched 3 product campaigns".
[TARGET SALARY OR "SUGGEST ONE"]: A number, e.g. "$66,000", or write "SUGGEST ONE" to let your agent propose one from the research.

Example result

Raise request letter
Dear David,
I would like to ask for a salary review to bring my pay in line with my current responsibilities and the market for my role.
Since my last raise in March 2025, I have:
• Grown email revenue by 34%, from about $41,000 to $55,000 a quarter, by rebuilding our welcome and win-back flows
• Taken over social media after Laura's departure in January, alongside my existing work, with follower growth of 22%
• Planned and launched three product campaigns, including the spring launch that sold out in nine days
I have also looked at current pay for Marketing Coordinators with 3 to 4 years of experience in Chicago. Public salary sources put the typical range at roughly $60,000 to $70,000 (summary and links attached). My current salary is $58,000.
Based on my results and these ranges, I am asking for an increase to $66,000.
I enjoy working here and want to keep building our marketing with you. Could we meet in the next two weeks to talk about it?
Thank you for considering it,
Maya Johnson
Salary research (illustrative, check the live links)
• Source A, salary site: $59,000 to $68,000
• Source B, job board averages: $62,000
• Source C, government wage data for the metro area: median around $61,000
• Source D, 5 current Chicago job ads: $60,000 to $72,000
If they push back
• "There is no budget right now." Ask when there will be, and agree on a date and the result that would earn the raise.
• "Everyone gets the same annual increase." Point to the added social media role, which is a change in scope, not a standard year.
• "Let me think about it." Thank them and ask when you can expect an answer, then follow up in writing.

How to do it with todo.is

Copy the prompt and add your salary, city and results.
Paste it into todo.is, or send it to your agent on Telegram or Slack.
Your agent researches pay with links, writes the letter and prepares answers to pushback.
Ask it to set a reminder to follow up if you do not hear back by the date you agreed.

Tips for a better result

Ask for a specific number, not "a raise". Base it on the market range and your results.
Use pay data for your exact city and level. A national average can work against you.
Focus on value you added and new responsibilities, not on personal costs like rent.
Ask for a meeting. Send the letter beforehand so your manager has time to check the budget.
If the raise is not possible now, ask for other things: a title change, training budget or a review date in writing.

raise request letter: FAQ

How much of a raise should I ask for? Base it on market pay for your role and city and on any new responsibilities. Many people ask for a raise that brings them into the middle or upper part of the market range.
Is it better to ask for a raise by letter or in person? Do both. A short letter or email sets out your case, and a meeting is where you talk it through.
When should I ask for a raise? Before budgets are set, after a strong result or when your role has grown. Avoid times when the company has just announced cuts.
Where does the salary data come from? Your agent searches public salary sites, job ads and government wage data and shows the links, so you can check every number yourself.

JavaScript is required to use the todo.is app.