A nice transitional phrase might be, “I would like to discuss my compensation to bring it in alignment with the market value in [your company’s city].” This is also a good time to mention that you’ve been researching the current market value of similar positions in your field. Research, research, research! You don’t want to go into this conversation without doing the research. This will help your case for support and open the dialogue. Not to mention, it will signal to your boss that you did not come to play. The main ingredients in any negotiation are research, strategy, and confidence.
