Keep a journal of wins to earn yourself a raise

Maintaining a regular and live record of your accomplishments and experiences at work can reinforce your case while pitching for a salary hike

- Geetika Sachdev

The appraisal season is round the corner. If you want to put your best foot forward, hoping to get that big jump, start by thinking small.

In other words, instead of reminding your manager of the big wins you have achieved over the past year, like big client deals, inform them about all the small achievements, like how you managed to keep the team together during a client crisis, or how you successfully covered for a senior colleague in their absence. Documenting small wins is important as companies are increasingly moving towards performance-based pay.

This year, there is a growing trend of pay based on performance, the recent Total Remuneration Survey released by consulting firm Mercer has concluded, based on a poll of 1,550 Indian companies, across sectors including technology, life sciences, manufacturing and engineering. "...the increased adoption of performance-linked pay plans by more than 75% of organisations, signifies a holistic shift towards performance orientation, both in the short term and long term," says the report, quoting Mercer's India careers leader Mansee Singhal.

While racking one's brains at the last minute and listing achievements is a typical habit for most, experts suggest documenting wins throughout the year instead. It may be too late for this year's performance review, but making a start now for the next year is a good idea.

"Typically, the human mind tends to remember the beginning and the end. For instance, if an employee has had a bad start to the year or the last few months before the end of the financial year weren't as productive, the superiors are likely to harp on those negatives," says Neelima Chakara, executive coach and founder of Purpose Ladder, which helps individuals plan their career. "This will eventually take a hit at the employee's confidence."