Want a pay raise? Be assertive!

A study has shown that out of people looking for a pay raise, those who pursue it aggressively are the ones who get it.

The study found that those 'who don't take no for an answer' are far more likelier to get what they want. Employees who had "done their homework" in advance of negotiations also earned themselves more holidays and perks such as mobile phones and company cars.

Researchers from Temple University's Fox School of Business, Philadelphia and George Mason University, near Washington DC, discovered that workers who avoided salary discussions at appraisals or in interviews, almost never got a raise.

Those who actively sought out a rise earned an average 5000 dollars more every year than those who didn't. More "assertive" workers then ended up earning up to 600,000 dollars more over a 40-year career.

They also found that career-driven women were just as "competitive" during salary negotiations.

"Our results suggest (workers) who were more prepared for the negotiation process were able to use more assertive strategies," the Telegraph quoted Professor Crystal Harold as saying.

"By prepared, I mean those who learned more about the market value of their position, did their homework on the organisation and perhaps inquired about previous offers made about the organisation.

"These individuals were empowered and were generally more assertive. Furthermore (workers) who use a more competitive strategy, such as not taking no for an answer, threatening to withdraw from the process if the offer was unacceptable, were most successful in raising their salary," she added.

However, she added that aggressive tactics could sometimes backfire and so, "collaboration" negotiation might be more useful. This would mean listing your demands with a caveat that times may be tough but that you hoped for a compromise.

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