Request a meeting with your manager, bring documented proof of what you've accomplished, and show what similar roles pay in your area. Ask for a specific number. Keep it professional, let the data carry the argument, and frame everything around the value you've added — not what you personally need.
Six months hits a real sweet spot. You've moved past the first few weeks of just trying to make a good impression, but your manager still has fresh, specific memories of your work. They're not digging through notes from two years ago trying to remember what you did. By now you've produced real output — not just shown potential. The numbers support this timing. Employees who negotiate after their probation period ends are about 40% more likely to actually get increases, according to Glassdoor's salary guide. That's partly because your manager now has documented performance they can take to HR when making the case for you. Vague enthusiasm doesn't move budget committees. Specific project wins do. There's also a budget cycle reason to move now. Most companies plan annual merit increases, and catching your manager before mid-year reviews means your request lands while there's still money to allocate. Show up after that window closes and you're waiting another six months regardless of how good your case is. You're not so new that asking feels presumptuous. You're not so tenured that waiting another year seems obvious. Six months is exactly when the ask makes sense.
You've got real leverage if your responsibilities have grown beyond what you were originally hired to do. Say you came in as a marketing coordinator and you're now briefing the agency, managing the content calendar, and onboarding the new hire who just started. That's a different job than the one they paid you for. That gap is exactly what a salary review is designed to close. Another strong position: you found a problem and fixed it. A customer success rep who rebuilt a broken onboarding checklist and cut new client churn by 15% over six months has a concrete story to tell. Even smaller wins count — streamlining a process that saved five hours a week across a three-person team has real dollar value in a budget conversation. If you were brought on at a lower salary with the explicit understanding that you'd prove yourself quickly, and you actually did it, that original conversation is your foundation. Reference it directly. That said, timing still matters. If you're still working through onboarding, still making basic mistakes, or if your company just went through layoffs or a hiring freeze, hold off. Asking during obvious financial stress signals poor judgment, and that's the opposite of what you want your manager thinking about when your name comes up. Also worth checking: some managers, especially in larger organizations, don't have direct authority to approve raises. Knowing that before you sit down saves everyone an awkward conversation.
Most people assume asking for a raise means you're unhappy or about to quit. You're not saying that. Say clearly that you like the role and want to stay. Some people think emotional reasoning works: "I need this for rent." Companies don't operate that way. They care about what the market pays and what you actually produce. That's actually in your favor because it's not personal. Another myth: you ask once and you're finished. In reality, you'll probably follow up in writing after the meeting, and if they say no, you ask again in three to six months when you have new wins to show. Don't make this about being underpaid initially either. Make it about how you've grown into a bigger role than the one they hired for. Managers respect that framing.
Not usually. Six months shows you're confident and invested without coming across as impatient. That said, if your offer letter or employee handbook spells out a longer probation period — say, nine months or a full year — wait until you've cleared it. Check with HR if you're unsure. Asking at the wrong moment undermines an otherwise strong case.
Ask for a specific number. Pull data from Glassdoor, PayScale, and LinkedIn Salary for your exact role, your location, your experience level, and your industry — then land on one figure. A range signals uncertainty and almost always gets negotiated to the lower end. One clear number shows you did the research and know what you're asking for.
Create your own. Send your manager a short email asking for 20 minutes to talk through your role and where things stand. When you get in the room, bring the same things you'd bring to any formal review: what you've accomplished, specific numbers where you have them, and what the market shows for your role. Smaller companies often respect the initiative, and putting it in writing keeps it professional rather than awkward.