Don’t expect your MBA automatically to open the door for a raise or promotion, cautions Lee Bertrand, dean of admissions for the University of Redlands School of Business. Bertrand advises people seeking advancement to examine the “revenue side of your education.” And if you desire an MBA, Bertrand’s tips could help to persuade your employer to help with tuition.

Bertrand says the first step is to set a pay increase goal of 20 percent. That could mean a change in departments or employers if the employer won’t look beyond an outdated image of you. “The rule of ‘once a secretary, always a secretary’ usually applies,” says Bertrand. “That’s not restricted to secretaries.”

The next step in advancement is asking the boss for a raise. If turned down, ask, “How can I improve?” Make a list, says Bertrand, and work on improving. Check back with the boss in 90 days and discuss your progress. Ask again for a raise. If your request is rejected, tell the boss that you’ll continue working on the list. “Repeat this process every 90 days,” says Bertrand. “I have friends and students who did this two or three times. They were promoted or got raises.”

Also work during personal time at home on improving yourself. Bertrand advises students buy and use an etiquette book by someone like Leticia Baldridge or Ann Landers. A pop culture etiquette book is a waste of money, he says.

Another self-improvement tip hits close to home. “Ask the people you live with which mannerisms you should improve,” says Bertrand. “If the mannerisms bother the people at home, they certainly annoy the people at work. Don’t get angry; improve yourself.”

Bertrand also advises students to learn to write well. “Memos, studies, strategic plans and evaluations are a big part of business life,” he says. Learning to use statistics also is helpful. “Study a few books on the subject,” says Bertrand. “Tie statistics into what you do at work.”

He also advises learning more about Daniel Goleman’s concepts of emotional intelligence. Basically, “It’s how you get along with people. It goes back to etiquette,” says Bertrand.

If your list of goals includes an MBA degree or other career-related studies, Bertrand says to make an appointment to talk with management about financing your education. “Start with your boss, not HR,” Bertrand says. “(Human Resources) is responsible for following the rules, not making them.” Let your boss know that you will stay on if the employer pays for your education. In addition, tell the boss “you expect to be considered for raises as if you came in from the outside,” he says. That strategy forces the boss to regard you as a valuable employee, “not someone they did a favor for,” says Bertrand.

He admits that these strategies don’t always work. “You’re not going to be well-received all the time; you have to persevere.” But to illustrate that it can work, he cites a former student who followed this strategy. His salary rose from $40,000 to $110,000 in five years.

— Liz Swain