With the economy on an upswing, it may be a good time to ask your employer for a raise or a promotion. Workplace experts say that there are guidelines that workers should follow to get what they want out of negotiations. Workers must be prepared to demonstrate their value to the company and have done their research on the current business climate. It is also helpful to practice what you are going to say beforehand and prepare for the possibility of rejection.
See "Five steps to get that raise", Jonathan P. Decker, The Christian Science Monitor, December 5, 2004