Now that the holiday season is past, you're probably having a little gift-giving hangover as the credit-card bills start to pile up.

Maybe you were too generous this year, or maybe you have been struggling under a pile of bills for some time. But the bottom line is, you could really use a raise.

So you get your gumption up, march into the boss's office and say, "Look, I've got a lot of bills, so I'm really going to need a raise."

First mistake.

At the boss's less-than-friendly look, you blurt, "And if you don't, I'm outta here."

Second mistake.

The boss doesn't really care if you've overstretched your paycheck, and asking for a raise with that reasoning comes off as very self-centered. Threatening to quit if you don't get what you want seems childish and disloyal and often leads the boss to say, "OK, you want to leave? There's the door."

The time to ask for a raise is when you've made an impression by bringing in a big client, designing a new system that saves the company money or coming up with an innovative new strategy that will contribute to business efficiency.

At the same time, you need research. Find out what you're worth by contacting professional organizations or search firms or by using the Internet to assess what others in your field are making.

Once you know what you're worth, then choose a good time to approach the boss. It's best to schedule a meeting soon after you've made a significant contribution — don't put it off until your next performance appraisal if that's months away. Try to avoid Mondays and Fridays, when bosses are often the most busy.

Next, write down several key points you want to make to the boss — what you've accomplished that deserves a raise and the impact on the company. Make sure you align your achievements with company goals, such as "After I redesigned the customer complaint process, it became more efficient and cut customer complaints by 25 percent, which is in direct alignment with the company goal of achieving superior customer service."

Once you begin making your pitch, the boss will immediately be trying to decide not only if you deserve a raise, but what it's going to cost. That's why it's critical to get to the point quickly; try to keep the entire pitch to just a few minutes. It's OK if you have a piece of paper in hand that outlines the key points, but don't read it. Try to look the boss in the eye when you're speaking.

Of course, the boss gets paid to make objections to anyone asking for money. The boss will tell you a raise is not in the budget; your request exceeds what others in comparable positions in the organization get paid; and a raise can't be justified to the next level of management.

At this point, you stay focused on your message and repeat that you are worth more because you're a top performer. Keep the focus on your talents and contributions that you make to the employer. Managers know that top performers can always walk out and be top performers at other companies. By continually emphasizing your contributions, you make them think about what it would cost if you left.

This salary meeting should last 30 to 45 minutes, and with luck will end with you getting what you want. If not, thank the boss for his or her time and schedule another meeting in about three months. While you don't want to be too pushy and seem greedy, you also want to make the boss more aware of you and your performance.