Here’s something worth knowing before you walk into your next performance review: research from a 2024 study of business school graduates found that 54% of women reported negotiating salary, compared to 44% of men. Women are asking. The problem is the gap between asking and getting.
The average woman working full-time in 2024 was paid just 81 cents for every dollar paid to a man, and the gap actually widened that year, for the first time in over 60 years, as men’s salaries grew while women’s stayed flat. That’s not a small thing. Compounded over a career, it adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I talk about this because I’ve been on both sides of this table. I’ve been the one asking, and I’ve been the one on the other side making decisions. What I can tell you is that those who come prepared are the ones who get results. Here’s how to be one of them.
Re-Evaluate Your Official Responsibilities
Pull out your job description. Yes, actually read it. Does it match what you’ve actually been doing for the past year? If you’ve been doing more than what’s written down, that’s data. That’s part of your case.
Take a hard look at where you’ve genuinely excelled. What are you known for on your team? What would fall apart without you? Identify two or three strong points you can speak to confidently. And don’t skip the areas where there’s room to grow. Coming in with self-awareness shows maturity, not weakness, and it sets you up for a productive conversation rather than a one-sided performance.
What Have You Accomplished Since Your Last Review?
Do a full brain dump first. Every project, every initiative, every time you stepped up. Then narrow it down to your three to five strongest examples to actually discuss.
The ones that will land hardest are the ones with data behind them. Metrics your manager may not have seen. Results that tie back to something the business cares about. Did you grow something? Save time? Solve a problem that was costing the team? Lead something that wasn’t technically yours to lead? That’s the stuff that makes a manager lean in.
Did You Hit the Goals from Your Last Review?
If you have notes from your previous review, pull them out. Walk through what you set out to do and where you landed. Hit your goals? Talk about how. Missed some? Come in with a clear-eyed explanation and a plan.
If external circumstances got in the way, say so. And if you helped a teammate reach their goals along the way, mention that too. That kind of collaborative impact matters more than most people think to bring up.
What Do You Need to Do Your Job Better?
This part catches people off guard, but your annual review is genuinely a two-way conversation. Your manager’s job is to remove obstacles for you, and this is your opening to say what’s actually in the way.
Be specific and constructive. Not “I need more support,” but “I’d benefit from clearer direction on X” or “access to Y would help me move faster on Z.” A good manager will respect this. It also positions you as someone thinking strategically about your own performance, not just showing up and waiting to be told what to do.
What Goals Do You Want to Work Toward This Year?
Come in with ideas. You’ll likely finalize these together with your manager, but walking in with a starting point shows that you’re invested, not just going through the motions.
Think about what would make this next year feel meaningful for you professionally and what would genuinely move the needle for your team or organization. Those two things overlapping is where your strongest case lives.
Bring It All Together and Ask for the Raise
Now you actually ask. Write it out, and practice it out loud before you go in.
Do your research on salary benchmarks for your role, experience level, and market. Use that number as your anchor when you make your ask, and cite where it came from. Your manager may come back with a counter, so don’t lowball yourself trying to seem reasonable. Start higher than you’d be happy settling for.
Studies show that women who negotiate are more likely to get a raise than those who don’t. The discomfort you feel going into this conversation is real, but it doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you care. The more times you do it, the less it feels like a big deal, and the better you get at it.
Your managers want to see you come in prepared. It makes the conversation easier for everyone and, honestly, it reminds them exactly why they hired you.
Need help getting started? Download the free Annual Review Prep Worksheet and walk into your next review with a number, a plan, and the confidence to back it up.
Good ideas are just the beginning.
Let's make something real out of them together.
