As unlikely as it sounds, a recent study from the University of Idaho suggests that when asking for a raise the best approach is to shoot the moon -- but do it with a wink. Psychology professor Todd Thorsteinson found that people requesting implausibly high raises ended up with 9 to 10 percent more on average than those who didn't.
Thorsteinson took 206 college students and asked them to determine the starting salary of a hypothetical administrative assistant who was well qualified and had previously earned $29,000.
Candidates who facetiously asked for $100,000 were given $35,523 on average. Those who simply asked for what they thought was reasonable got an average of $32,463, the Harvard Business Review reports.
Thorsteinson suggested that “mentioning an extreme figure in jest can set a high ‘anchor’ for the final offer while minimizing negative reactions from the employer.”