- Key Takeaways
- Research What You Do
- Ask to Stay Working Remotely
- Consider Going Back to School
- Add to Your Many
Skills - A Higher
Salary Can Be Yours - Understanding Your Pay Landscape
- Benchmarking and Market Research
- Making the Case at Work
- Optimizing
Remote Work Economics - Strategic Upskilling for Impact
- Education ROI and Advancement Paths
- Next Steps
- Final Words
We may earn a commission if you click on a product link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Last Updated on October 19, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Benchmark Your Value: Compare market pay, scope, and competencies across titles and geographies to set a realistic target range and reveal high-premium
skills worth highlighting. - Lead With Outcomes: Quantify recent results—revenue protected, time saved, quality gains—and present a concise, evidence-backed case linking your impact to
team and company priorities. - Negotiate Flexibility: Use remote or hybrid performance data to propose a structured arrangement that maintains output, lowers costs, and effectively increases take-home compensation without changing roles.
- Upskill With Intent: Prioritize one or two
skills that move core metrics; applytraining immediately, publish artifacts, and turn quick wins into leverage for raises or expanded scope. - Assess Education ROI: Evaluate degrees or certificates against total cost,
salary uplift, promotion timelines, and employer support to ensure learning investments generate measurable career and pay returns.
Today is payday, and instead of feeling excited, you’re discouraged by the amount deposited into your account. You work hard, your boss is pleased with your performance, but your paycheck isn’t where you want it. The good news: you don’t need endless overtime or a side gig to earn more. There are practical, evidence-based ways to increase your pay in your current role—starting with market research, stronger negotiation, strategic skill building, and optimizing where and how you work.
While other books or websites might list a few standard bullet points on the subject from an expert in the HR field, Jim takes a "novel approach," weaving interesting stories, case studies, graphs, humor, and personal experience.
Research What You Do
A smart first step is to benchmark your role’s pay and
Use external data and internal wins to guide a focused conversation about pay. Compare peer roles, quantify outcomes, and bring a concise one-page case to your manager.
Helpful resources: research average salaries and skill requirements, and an internal review of your recent results. For broader context, see salary guidance on CareerAlley.
Ask to Stay Working Remotely
If
For negotiation framing and examples of persuasive cases, see this guidance on positioning remote arrangements: make a strong case to continue your remote work.
Best work from home jobs and remote jobs in over 50 categories for professionals, digital nomads, telecommuting workers and entry level jobseekers.
Consider Going Back to School
Advanced education can materially increase earnings if aligned with market demand. Assess total cost, time-to-degree, and realistic
Explore program outcomes here: MBA career benchmarks. For admissions prep, consider GMAT prep. Complement your planning with a concise strategy resource such as Your MBA Game Plan.
Add to Your Many Skills
Raises and bonuses follow visible, business-relevant capability. Meet with your manager to map skill gaps tied to next-level responsibilities; enroll in focused
Find cost-effective courses and localized programs that align with your role. Start with training options vetted for quality and applicability, and commit to a weekly cadence so progress compounds.
Up-skill, Re-skill, or Fresh Start.
With courses built around affordability and access, find a skills training program with a financing solution you'll actually qualify for.
A Higher Salary Can Be Yours
You can increase your income without changing employers by combining better market data, strong remote-work economics, targeted education, and high-impact
Understanding Your Pay Landscape
Your paycheck reflects market rates, role scope, and demonstrable impact. Start by clarifying how your company defines levels, competencies, and performance bands. Translate recent accomplishments into measurable outcomes that matter to
Easily get higher salary outcomes by using the book’s scripted email and phone templates for over 60 negotiation scenarios. Unlike other negotiation books, you will never be left guessing how to apply a negotiation theory or principle.
Benchmarking and Market Research
Before negotiating compensation, quantify your market value across roles and locations. Compare titles, responsibilities, and required proficiencies—not just job names—to avoid mismatched data. Evaluate total compensation, including base, bonus, equity, benefits, and flexibility. Document three credible benchmarks and align them to the actual scope you perform today. Use this evidence to anchor a realistic range and identify the specific
- Define Scope: Map your current responsibilities to standard role levels; note ownership, decision rights, and cross-functional impact to avoid lowball comparisons.
- Triangulate Data: Pull three independent benchmarks and average them; adjust for company size, sector, and cost of living to create a fair range.
- Skill Premiums: List scarce
skills tied to higher offers (automation, analytics, security) and match them to business priorities you already influence. - How-to Tool: Use O*NET Online to identify role competencies and keywords that improve apples-to-apples
salary comparisons.
Making the Case at Work
Turn your research into a concise business case. Start with outcomes delivered, then connect those outcomes to company goals and the financial impact. Present a clear ask within your evidence-backed range and propose next steps: title calibration, mid-cycle adjustment, or a written plan with milestones. Bring alternatives if budgets are tight—spot bonus, retention grant, or accelerated review. Keep the tone collaborative and solution-oriented; you are helping
A motivational interactive workbook in which students and undecideds choose a career path directly inside the guide.
Use this direct, specific method to educate, understand, and inspire yourself to reach your full potential in only 10 chapters.
Optimizing Remote Work Economics
If remote or hybrid work boosts
- Measure Output: Log cycle times, defect rates, deal velocity, or tickets closed to show
remote work maintains or improves throughput. - Codify Norms: Set expectations for availability, handoffs, and documentation so teammates experience fewer bottlenecks and surprises.
- Reinvest
Savings : Channel commute time into proactive work—backlog grooming, stakeholder updates, and preventive quality checks that compound results. - How-to Guide: Schedule recurring focus blocks using Motion Calendar to protect deep work and communicate priorities transparently.
Strategic Upskilling for Impact
Raises follow the capability that moves business metrics. Identify one or two
Motion increases productivity by 137%. With automation and AI that intelligently plan your day, schedule meetings, and build the perfect to-do list.
Education ROI and Advancement Paths
Advanced credentials can unlock higher bands, but only when outcomes justify the investment. Compare total costs against realistic
- Clarify Target: Define the role and level you’re aiming for; list the competencies and artifacts required to earn it within your organization.
- Stage the Path: Sequence micro-credentials and projects so each step proves value and strengthens your compensation narrative.
- Leverage Support: Use tuition assistance, study time, or mentorship programs to reduce cost and accelerate completion.
- How-to Tool: Run scenarios with the Loan Simulator to stress-test affordability and time-to-breakeven for any financed education.
The dfree™ movement provides twelve easy, attainable steps to help you acknowledge your debt, create a plan, stay accountable, build wealth, and celebrate progress.
Next Steps
- Benchmark Pay: Gather three trusted market data points for your role and location; set a realistic range and identify premium
skills that justify the high end. - Document Impact: Build a concise win log with dates, metrics, and business outcomes; convert achievements into two quantified bullet points for performance reviews and compensation discussions.
- Propose Flexibility: Draft a remote or hybrid plan with measurable output targets, communication norms, and availability windows; present a 60-day pilot and review criteria to de-risk approval.
- Targeted Upskilling: Select one skill that directly improves revenue, efficiency, or risk; enroll in a focused course and ship a small artifact proving value within four weeks.
- Map Advancement: Outline a six-month plan with milestones for title calibration or raise; include sponsor check-ins, deliverables, and contingency options like a bonus or accelerated review.
Final Words
Momentum comes from pairing clear goals with verifiable results. Start by understanding what the market pays and how your work advances measurable business priorities. Translate wins into concise evidence, then negotiate from facts, not feelings. Strengthen your case through one targeted skill that pays off quickly, and run a lightweight trial for flexibility that preserves
Prevent stress, hardship, and the fear of your future. Ensure your peace of mind and secure your golden years by embracing a smart financial strategy!
Mark Fiebert is a former finance executive who hired and managed dozens of professionals during his 30-plus-year career. He now shares expert job search, resume, and career advice on CareerAlley.com.
