Much has been written about how to negotiate a better salary. But what if you're not sure you deserve a raise in the first place? Here are four steps toward acknowledging your self-worth and proving your value.

1 Develop a sense of urgency It may seem risky to ask for a raise. But the truth is that you may already be past the breaking point. If you're feeling resentful and frustrated you have two options: stick with what you're doing, knowing how deeply dissatisfying it is or step up and ask for a raise. Recognise that if you don't take action your dissatisfaction may leak out through your words or deeds, and damage the reputation you've worked so hard to cultivate.

2 Boost your confidence with competitive research Consult salary surveys on the internet to get a sense of what competitors are offering for your position. This will help you establish a lower and upper pay scale

3 Get a complete picture Look at everything from your educational background to your long-term record within the organisation to your team's performance in the past quarter. Most importantly, create a list of the things that make you unique and set you apart from others in your company. You can draw on anecdotes and hard data from past performance reviews, personal letters and commendations.

4 Prepare for pushback You'll need to anticipate and prepare for potential objections and not let them rattle your confidence. If you encounter resistance regarding your data, focus the conversation on understanding how your compensation is set.

It may be useful to do some practice sessions with a coach or trusted colleague, to ensure that you can respond to objections without getting overheated and end the conversation on a positive note. – Copyright Harvard Business Review 2015