How to get a raise in 2015

The art of negotiation takes practice, especially when it comes to younger workers — particularly young women — who are looking for their first raise.

“There are certaincultural assumptions that we take on as women,” notes author Jessica Porter. “It’s things like ‘I don’t want to appear greedy to my boss.’ Women also often don’t have the same access to information as their male peers do.”

Along with Deborah Kolb, professor emerita at Boston’s Simmons College, Porter is the co-author of the upcoming book “Negotiating at Work: Turn Small Wins Into Big Gains.” We asked her how women can get the salary they deserve and move ahead in their careers.

Research your competitors: “The first thing I would do is gather as much information as possible,” she says. “What do people at other companies make? That’s how you know what to ask for.”

Know your workplace: It’s also important to understand how things work at your own company. “What does your boss value?” Porter asks. “What does your boss think is important? If your boss thinks that the income brought in from sales is important, start to think about how you can talk about that.”

Prepare for a lengthy process: “The longer you can stretch the negotiation process, the more success you are going to have, says Porter. “We think of negotiation as something that takes place in a finite amount of time. That’s not true.”

Think of a package deal: “If you are only negotiating salary, there’s only so far that you can go,” Porter reminds us. Other requests can include a new title, tuition reimbursement and going to a certain number of professional conferences each year.

Remember that you deserve this: “It can really help to reflect on why you are asking for these things,” she says. “There’s a reason you are asking for what you are asking for.”

Follow Lakshmi Gandhi on Twitter @LakshmiGandhi.