New Year, New Bank Balance: How to Negotiate a Raise, by Personality Type

It’s almost January. The holidays are over, and you’re feeling like it’s time for a fresh start—maybe a new fitness routine, a revamped wardrobe or even better… a fatter paycheck! If you’ve been thinking about asking for a raise, this could be the perfect time. But let’s face it: asking for a raise can be tricky—one wrong word can throw your dream of a pay bump out the window. 

The good news is there is a way to approach this potentially awkward conversation that can really boost your chances of success. The key is to understand your strengths and play into them while compensating for your weaknesses. And that’s where your personality type comes in. In this article, we‘re using the temperaments to show how you can nail that raise request.

Theorists: Add the Human Touch

Theorists  (ENTJ, ENTP, INTJ, INTP) are all about facts, logic and strategy. So, when it comes to negotiating a raise, you probably have a solid case in place—one that is grounded in data, metrics and clear evidence of your contributions. And while that’s fantastic, this approach can come across as a bit too, well… cold. It might make the conversation feel too much like a business transaction, especially if your boss is coming at the situation from a human place. To really hit the sweet spot, you’ll want to balance the cold facts with a bit of warmth and human touch.

Advice for Theorists:

1. Add some passion: Your boss will likely appreciate your thoroughness with numbers and data, but they’ll also want to feel that you genuinely care about the work. So, show them you’re in it for more than just a paycheck! Tell them why the work is important to you personally—perhaps talk about how the company's mission and values align with your personal goals and principles, or how you love the company culture. 

2. Plan for the future: A raise request shouldn’t be all about what you’ve accomplished—it’s also about what you plan to achieve moving forward. Past performance doesn’t always predict future success. So, show your boss how you plan to keep adding value—maybe you’re excited to lead a new project or are learning a new skill that can help the team. 

Empaths: Sell Yourself 

As an Empath (ENFJ, ENFP, INFJ, INFP), you have this fantastic ability to “sense” people and connect with them on a deep, emotional level. Because of that, you likely have a great rapport with your boss and are really in tune with the social dynamics at play in the company. When it comes to asking for a raise, this emotional intelligence can give you a huge edge. But your natural tendency to be humble and focus on others’ needs might lead you to undersell yourself. 

Advice for Empaths:

1. Highlight your people-centered contributions. As an Empath, a lot of your impact may not always show up in spreadsheets. So, when asking for a raise, don’t forget to highlight your people-centered contributions (in addition to the quantifiable achievements), even if you can’t put a number to them. Things like supporting colleagues and helping to solve problems that weren’t on your plate are still valuable contributions that should be recognized and rewarded.

2. Own your achievements: While humility is a great quality, downplaying your contributions won’t help you get a raise. Don’t shy away from talking about all the ways you’ve made a difference, even if it doesn’t directly relate to your role. For example, you could mention how you’re the go-to person for mediating conflicts or how you’ve built strong, positive relationships across the whole company, and the impact that has had in terms of collaboration and morale. 

Preservers: See The Bigger Picture 

Preservers (ESTJ, ESFJ, ISTJ, ISFJ) are the reliable rocks of their teams. You get things done, and your contributions are often tangible and measurable. So, when it comes to asking for a raise, you probably have a long list of things you’ve done for the company. The challenge for you is to frame your achievements not just in terms of how reliable you are and how many projects you completed, but also in terms of how your work contributed to the company’s success.

 Advice for Preservers:

1. Focus on outcomes. Instead of just listing all the things you’ve done, emphasize how your work has directly impacted the company's goals and bottom line. For example, rather than simply saying, "I took over leadership of the sales team," you could say something like, "Since stepping into the leadership role, the team’s average sales closing rate has gone up by X%.”

2. Add a personal touch: While you’re great at focusing on the “what,” don’t forget to acknowledge the “why.” Why do you care about your work? Why is this raise important to you, not just financially, but for your own personal satisfaction and growth? Adding a small personal touch can make a big difference and make your case much stronger.

Responders: Plan Your Approach 

Responders (ESTP, ESFP, ISTP, ISFP) are great at thinking on their feet and responding to situations as they arise. In other words, you’re the type to roll with the punches, so you might just bring up the pay raise conversation when you sense that “the moment is right” and then just hope it all works out. But while your ability to adapt and behave spontaneously is definitely a strength, when it comes to asking for a raise, a little more planning and structure can really help you make a stronger case. 

Advice for Responders:

1. Plan ahead: Don’t just bring up the pay raise out of the blue—this is an important issue that needs careful consideration. Instead, schedule a meeting with your boss and make it clear what you want to talk about. And make sure to come in with your talking points thought out. This is especially important if your boss is more of a numbers person, because you’ll want to have concrete examples of your contributions—things like how your closing rate has increased by X% or how you took on an extra project that has led to the Y outcome.

2. Plan for the future: Your main strength lies in your ability to think on your feet and respond in real-time—and that’s definitely something to highlight in your pay-raise conversation. But it’s also important to show that you’re thinking about the long term. So, tell your boss how you’ll continue to grow and add value in the future. You don’t need to have all the specifics figured out, but showing that you’re committed to driving the company’s ongoing success will go a long way.