4
Asking Your Supervisor for a Salary Advance

STRATEGY

Believe it or not, this is one of the most dangerous scripts in this book if your company doesn't have a set policy for salary advances. While getting an advance on your salary may, in the short term, get you out of financial trouble, it carries a great many long‐term risks. In order to maximize your chances of getting the advance, you're going to have to push your supervisor right to the edge—and then back off if necessary. That could change what has been a good relationship between you and your supervisor into an uncomfortable one. It could also change your supervisor's perception of you from a rising star to just your average Joe or Jane. Therefore, consider asking for an advance only as a last resort.

TACTICS

  • Attitude: Realize you're asking for something out of the ordinary but that you're really asking only for what already belongs to you. You're not a beggar or a borrower, but you are possibly asking to be treated like one.
  • Preparation: Make sure that you've exhausted all your other options before going to your supervisor and that the reason you need the money doesn't reflect an inability to manage your life or your finances. The best, in fact the only good reason, is that something unforeseen and beyond your control occurred to someone other than you.
  • Timing: Lay the groundwork for the request by seeing your supervisor before business hours and asking for an appointment to discuss a personal matter. That conveys urgency but reassures your supervisor that it has nothing to do with business.
    Flow diagram depicting a course of action for 4. Asking Your Supervisor for a Salary Advance with three opening statements, three situations, and responses.
    Flow diagram depicting a course of action for 4. Asking Your Supervisor for a Salary Advance with responses.
  • Behavior: Stress that you're not asking for a loan. Instead refer to this as “draw” or an advance on future salary. Don't plead or beg, but showing some anxiety is okay—particularly if it's anxiety over what your supervisor will think of you.

ADAPTATIONS

This script can be modified to:

  • Ask forbearance from a major creditor.
  • Ask for more after already receiving a major financial favor.

KEY POINTS

  • As early as possible, say you need an advance, not a loan, to help someone else, preferably a family member, out of an unforeseen and unavoidable problem.
  • Make the point that this is actually drawing on your own assets.
  • Reiterate your points until you feel your supervisor truly understands the situation and either relents or refuses outright to help.
  • If your supervisor expresses bookkeeping concerns, offer to do whatever it takes to overcome the problem.
  • If your supervisor refuses to help, back down, apologize for bothering them with a nonbusiness matter but leave it open for them to come back if they change their mind.