It’s the end of the year—your compensation should be top of mind.

“How can I make sure I get my bonus and a raise for next year?”

Even if you’ve earned both, chances are your manager won’t automatically hand them over. Not because they don’t want to reward you—but because they’re not tracking your achievements as closely as you are.

Why Most IT Pros Get Shortchanged

Your manager may be supportive and well-intentioned—but they’re busy. They’re tracking their own goals, not yours.

If you rely on them to champion your value without your help, you’re leaving money—and recognition—on the table. Instead, you need to build the case yourself. Show why you’ve earned more. Make it impossible to say no.

The Ideal Method

• Start with a list of agreed-upon goals or achievements.

Ideally, these were set with your manager at the start of the year.

• Update each with completion status and outcomes.

Demonstrate that you delivered what you committed to.

• Add stakeholder feedback and peer testimonials.

Support your achievements with third-party validation.

• Review this documentation with your manager.

Frame it as making their job easier—not as a demand.

• Let your results and endorsements speak for themselves.

But let’s be real…

If you’re like most IT professionals, you didn’t formally set Target Achievements. You may not have a neat portfolio of documented contributions. That’s okay.

Even without The Ideal Method, you can still build a compelling case.

5 Steps to a Better Bonus and Salary Negotiation

Here’s how to transform a year’s worth of effort into a strategic, value-focused compensation conversation:

1. Identify the outcomes your work directly enabled

Make a list of key projects, milestones, or improvements you contributed to—especially those that drove business results.

2. Define your specific contributions

Don’t just say, “I worked on the launch.” Say, “I led the QA process that reduced bugs by 40%.” Be tangible. Own your role.

3. Align to business impact

Ask stakeholders: “How did these changes improve your work or results?” Filter your list down to contributions that truly mattered to the organization.

4. Capture your growth

What new skills—technical or interpersonal—did you develop? Where did you stretch? How did you mature as a professional?

5. Quantify it all

Use hard data to show your evolution: “Resolved 30% more tickets YoY,” “Improved team efficiency by 15%,” etc. You’re not just the same person with another 12 months of tenure—you’re significantly more valuable.

Start Preparing for Next Year—Today

Want next year’s raise and bonus discussion to go even better? Start planning now.

Build a goal-setting habit. Get aligned with your manager early. Document as you go.

Even if that guide isn’t in your hands yet, you can take action now: set aside two focused hours, work through the five steps above, and bring your leverage into your upcoming negotiation.

Good luck—and let us know how it goes.