Asking for a raise is stressful. You have to get the timing right, figure out how much to ask for, and promote yourself without coming on too strong.
Despite all that, the most common mistake workers make is more basic: They don't ask at all.
According to a Careerbuilder survey, a whopping 56% of workers have never asked for a raise, and women are less likely to ask than men.
Meanwhile, the same survey found that two-thirds of workers who ask for a raise get one, and the success rates are virtually the same for men and women who ask.
What's holding workers back? It could be a combination of fear of rejection, fear of negotiation, and even fear of losing your job, which experts say is completely irrational.
If you can, it's certainly in your interest to face the fear and make the ask. An analysis by Salary.com found that professionals who negotiate their initial salary and renegotiate every few years stand to earn $1 million more on average during their careers than those who don't.
While success is never certain, not asking always gets the same result: zilch.
