If you’re like most people, you probably feel a little bit of anxiety when it comes time to talk to your boss about money. You want to ensure that you’re asking for the right amount and that you’re not coming across as too demanding.
Luckily, there are a few simple steps that can help make the process go smoothly. Follow these tips, and you’ll be able to ask for the salary you deserve without any drama!
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Check the terms of payment
Before contacting anyone for payment, you must know what you’ll receive in return. For example, if you’ve been paid via invoice, ensure you understand how often invoices are sent out. Some companies send one every month, while others wait until the end of each quarter. Also, look into whether your agreement includes late fees.
If you’re a freelancer or contractor, you must know exactly what work you did and when you completed it. You want to make sure you’re getting paid what you deserve.
To learn more about payment due dates, read our guide to the amount due upon receipt.
Do not panic when the deadline has passed

If you work with late-paying clients, you might feel like your world is falling apart. You might even start to think about quitting altogether. But take heart, there are ways to recover from being owed money. Every time your client pays you, it builds trust and makes it easier to collect future payments.
The best way to handle overdue payments is to focus on collecting the payment first. This helps you avoid stress and worry about how you’ll pay bills and feed yourself. Instead, focus on getting paid and ensuring you have enough money to cover your expenses.
Know your worth
It can take time to determine your value as a worker. After all, you only sometimes know what skills you bring. However, you can use these tips to figure out how much you’re worth.
- Look at your salary history. You may have earned more than you realize. If you’ve worked at other jobs, check out their salaries. If you’re self-employed, talk to your accountant.
- Look at your peers’ salaries. Find out what they earn and compare that to yours. If you’re making significantly less than them, you could be underpaid.
- Consider your experience. Do you have any certifications or special training? Have you taken courses to increase your skill level? These things can help you stand out among your peers.
- Consider your responsibilities. What does your company expect of you? Are you responsible for managing projects? Or do you provide support services? Knowing this information will help you determine how valuable you are to your employer.
- Think about your skills. What are your strengths? Can you offer something unique to your employer? You may be great at customer service. Or you’re good at writing proposals. Whatever it is, find out what sets you apart.
Determine who to contact
Payroll departments are often responsible for approving employee paychecks. This includes determining whether employees qualify for overtime pay, how much they earn, and what deductions must be taken from their paychecks. If you suspect someone isn’t being paid correctly, it’s important to determine who to contact about the issue.
In certain companies, for instance, department heads must sign off on payroll records before they can be released to employees. For some organizations, the person in charge of human resources or accounting processes all payments. Knowing who to talk to if you have any payroll-related issues or inquiries at your organization.
Prepare a polite message

If you want to ensure your boss knows you are expecting your next paycheque, consider sending them a letter. However, if you don’t know what to say, here are some tips on writing a polite message to ensure they get it.
- Begin with a friendly greeting and a compliment. “Thank you for supporting me throughout my career,” says one example. Another goes like this: “I am grateful for everything you’ve done for me.” You could also try something like, “I appreciate your support and guidance throughout my tenure with XYZ Company.”
- Next, inquire about your payment and when it will arrive. “I’d like to confirm that I’ll receive my June salary soon,” suggests one sample email. A variation on this theme includes asking when you will see your next check. For instance, “When do you anticipate receiving my next paycheck?”
- Finally, encourage them to contact you if they have any additional questions. “Please feel free to reach out to me if there is anything else I can assist you with,” reads another version of this message.
Follow up as needed
If you’re working with clients online, it’s important to make sure that you keep track of what they are doing. Sometimes, you may ask them about what they’ve been doing recently.
However, there are times when you need to know whether they received your message or how long it took them to respond. In those cases, you’ll want to follow up with them. You can do this via email, text, Facebook Messenger, etc.
The key here is to remember that sometimes people forget things, and it’s better to follow up with them as soon as possible. This way, you can quickly find out if they read your message, and if they didn’t, you could still reach out to them again.
After a few questions, the rep took my credit card and sent me a receipt and confirmation via email: “We take payment details and a deposit upfront and send you a confirmation and receipt right away via email,” he said.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, you should always be professional in communicating with your supervisor. However, if you need help figuring out how to approach your boss politely, we hope these examples help!
Money is always a touchy subject, but at the end of the day, you need to get paid for your work.
If you’re finding it hard to have this conversation with your boss, take some time to plan out what you want to say. And if all else fails, reach out to our team of expert resume writers- we know how to negotiate salaries!