The tactics prior to discussions on salary

First and foremost Believe in yourself and your abilities.
Make sure that when you negotiate your salary hike that you are in a brilliant frame of mind and in good humour.
Remember its your strength of character, curiosity and your interest your boss wants to see proof of.
Your entry level salary in your first job is important and when you change jobs you should work towards a real raise.
You who are very happy at your job and dont want to change often get left behind or conveniently forgotten. There are loads of things you can point towards when asking for a raise. But if you want a raise then you need to take on more responsibility.
How do you do that your workload is big already? Learn to delegate the everyday things.

Male bosses:
Generally Men, when it comes to negotiation, like a little resistance. Be a little cocky and tough(dont overdo it).
Put a proper raise suggestion on the table.
Most male bosses lay low in their opening gambit so that they can manoeuvre a bit.
Female bosses:
Women on the other hand generally have deliberated long and hard in an attempt to set an acceptable salary as possible.
She has less room for manoeuvre and will not gladly go over her budget and have to request more money without due consideration.
She will take on any challenge by a cocky and intransient attitude and show you just how tough she is. So be warned.

YOUR FIRST JOB

To your advantage:

You come more or less straight out of school. You have fresh knowledge to brag about. You think travelling is great and thats a plus. You are well prepared and can work hard.

Attitude:

Show that you are curious and keen to learn. A little humility is recommended here. No employer wants to spend too much time on culturing a new employee.

Your Goal:

Your first job shall foremost give you real competence and knowledge of the branch.
But it is important that you get a good start salary.

Preparation:

Prepare yourself with the knowledge of what start salaries are within your chosen profession. Dont be afraid to ask similar companies or your union. Place a value on perks against salary.
Dont look blindly on the $ signs. Instead get a revision of salary in three months included in your contract of employment. Then you have time to show them how good you are.
Most employers have a probationary trial period and they usually run about 3-6 months.
Make sure that you receive an introduction course so that you quickly get started and learn to get to know your co-workers in your department.

CHANGING JOBS

Now you have both knowledge and experience (sales, business models, customer contacts, network of business connections etc.). Real competence within several areas of interest.
You are confident and will enrich the new organisation. With your experience you can adapt to several work groups.
If youre changing to a similar job but with a new employer remember you still have up your sleeve experience that your new employer will have lots of use for.

Your Attitude:

Proud and happy. Dont stand with your cap in your hand being grateful for the interview. Get a bit cocky. You have something to offer! The employer expects you to show your worth.
You are still hungry and prepared to roll up your sleeves
You are flexible and curious. You want to know more.

Your goal:

You are going to have a top salary in keeping with the market and may be a bit more.

Preparation:

Do not under any circumstances give any salary indications on your written application.
Any questions about how much you earn now you can answer with that it is not relevant. You require a market indicated salary in keeping with the branch...
Let your new employer make you an offer.
If the boss wants you to give an indication of your salary requirements, counter with whats your offer?
Do not say yes or no while sitting at the interview .Request a day or two to think on it. Feel the water a bit... Most often you can reply with a counter. But do it in a calm and collected way. With lots of diplomacy.
Im very interested in the position. It seems to meet my requirements and there are opportunities for advancement but the salary is not in keeping with the responsibility
Now tell them what you require.
Always go for something more. Paid holidays, shorter trial period, better work hours or a salary revision in six months.
Ensure that you discuss how your career/development within the organisation
will happen.

WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN IN A JOB FOR A LONG TIME

Your advantages:

You have loads to bring up in your negotiations on salary and often they are things more or less unseen because you are so efficient and discrete. You know the organisation and which strings to pull to get things done.
You solve problems on your own and take the load off your boss because lots of employees come to you with their questions and you help them.
You are both the bearer of knowledge, value and worth. You inform the business ethic within the company to the new staff so that they quickly and smoothly come in to there task.

Your attitude:

Proud, straight and well behaved.

Your goal:

Raise your salary properly.

Your preparation:

Ensure that your area of responsibility is as large as possible by relieving the boss of certain tasks. This is the only criteria that will raise your salary more than the normal few percent handed out.
You should also delegate parts of your daily routine tasks to others in your department so that you can take on more advanced tasks. Not just taking on more work!
It goes without saying of course that you will point out what you have done, the results and how it has benefited the company.
You could of course request further education to up-date your knowledge.
Something you can point out next time you need a raise.
Good Luck. Dont spend the raise all at once.

From the series A Workplace Ethic. How To Achieve It by the Baldchemist