Asking for a raise or promotion

What actually happens when people ask for a raise or promotion: what they got, what backfired, whether counteroffers held, and whether leaving paid more than waiting.

• Did asking for a raise work, and how much did people get? Yes, usually, and the typical raise lands around 3% to 5%.
• Did asking for a raise ever backfire? Yes, it can backfire, but rarely if you do it right.
• What made people finally decide to ask instead of staying quiet? The cost of silence finally outweighed the cost of asking.
• Did people get a counteroffer to stay, and did it hold up? Some do, but most counteroffers don't hold.
• How long did people wait for a promised promotion before giving up and leaving? About six months, then most start looking.
• Did switching companies pay more than waiting for the raise? Usually yes, but only if you negotiated.

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