Five copy-paste prompts to list your wins, pick a fair number, practice the conversation and follow up in writing.
Asking for a raise is one of those conversations most people put off for months. The work is usually not the problem. The hard part is putting your results into words, choosing a number you can defend and saying it out loud without apologizing. AI is good at the first two and a patient practice partner for the third.
These prompts take you from a messy list of things you did this year to a one-page case, a short script, a rehearsal with likely pushback and a follow-up email. Keep company secrets, client names and coworkers’ details out of the chat. Describe them in general terms instead.
AI does not know your company’s pay bands, and it can guess wrong about salaries. Use it to organize your thinking, then check pay ranges with real sources such as job postings in your area, salary surveys from your industry or a trusted colleague.
The prompts
Replace every [bracket] with your real details, then paste into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Grok.
Prompt 1
Wins list builder
I want to ask for a raise. Here is what I have worked on over the last [time period], in no particular order: [paste notes, project names, praise you received, numbers you know]. Turn this into a list of my 5 strongest accomplishments. For each one, write one sentence that shows the result for the team or the business. Mark any item where I should add a real number before I use it, and do not invent numbers.
Rough notes are fine. The goal is a short list your manager can repeat to their own boss.
Prompt 2
Fair number check
My role is [job title] in [city or remote], with [years] years of experience. I currently earn [current pay]. Here are pay ranges I found: [paste ranges from job posts or surveys]. Help me pick a specific number to ask for and a lowest number I would accept. Explain the reasoning in plain English, and tell me what other things I could ask for if money is tight, such as a title change, training budget or a review date.
Bring your own ranges. Without them the AI is guessing.
Prompt 3
Conversation script
Write a short, confident script for asking my manager for a raise. My case: [paste the wins list]. My ask: [number]. Keep it under 150 words, start with why I enjoy the role, then the results, then the specific ask. No apologies, no ultimatums, no comparing myself to coworkers. End with a question that invites a next step.
Read it out loud a few times. You do not have to say it word for word.
Prompt 4
Pushback practice
Play my manager in a raise conversation. I will make my case and you respond with realistic pushback, one point at a time, such as "the budget is frozen", "let’s revisit at review time" or "that number is high". After each of my replies, give me one tip to sound calmer or clearer. Start by asking me to make my case.
Two or three rounds of practice make the real conversation much less scary.
Prompt 5
Follow-up email
I just met with my manager about a raise. Here is what was said: [paste notes]. Write a short, friendly follow-up email that thanks them, restates what I asked for, summarizes what they agreed to (for example, a decision by a certain date) and confirms the next step. Under 120 words, no pressure, no new arguments.
A written recap protects you if your manager changes jobs or forgets.
Worked example
Situation: you took over the scheduling spreadsheet, trained two new hires and cut weekly report time from a full day to two hours, but nobody has talked about pay in eighteen months.
What you paste: those notes into Prompt 1. The AI turns them into three clear results and flags that the report time saving needs a real before and after figure.
Next: Prompt 2 helps you settle on a specific number using ranges you found in local job posts. Prompt 3 gives you a short opener, Prompt 4 lets you practice the "budget is tight" reply, and after the meeting Prompt 5 writes the recap email that pins down the decision date.
FAQ
When is the best time to ask for a raise?
Shortly after a clear win, or a few weeks before budgets or reviews are decided, tends to work better than the week of the review itself. Ask your manager for a dedicated meeting rather than raising it in passing.
Should I tell my boss I have another offer?
Only if it is real and you would actually take it. Using a pretend offer can backfire badly. AI can help you word it respectfully if you do have one.
Is it safe to paste my salary into ChatGPT?
Your own pay is usually fine to share in general terms, but avoid company secrets, coworker pay and client names. Check your AI tool’s privacy settings if you are unsure.
Real-life prompts for money, paperwork, planning and work, free in your inbox. Want the bigger collection? The $9 Prompts for Real Life pack goes further.