You've been at this job for three months. You turn up on time. You cover shifts when they need someone, and you do the things nobody else volunteers for. And for the last couple of weeks, you've been sitting on a thought you haven't said out loud: you want more hours. Or more pay. Maybe both.
Knowing what you want is the easy part. Saying it out loud to your manager is where most people stall.
Asking is a skill, and skills get learned. The adults you work with found this conversation awkward at your age, and plenty of them still do. Most of them have simply done it enough times to know it won't end them.
You haven't done it yet. The rest of this page walks you through it.
Your Track Record Speaks Before You Do
Before you walk into any conversation about more hours or more pay, ask yourself one honest question: has my manager ever had to chase me down for something, or remind me twice? Have I been late?
If yes, fix that first. You can't make a strong case for more when the baseline isn't solid.
If you've been reliable and gone a bit past what was asked, that is your foundation. The conversation works when you have something to point to.
Most managers notice who takes the boring tasks on the slow days and who keeps working when nobody seems to be watching, and that is the record you want behind you when you ask.
Timing Matters More Than the Script
Don't ask when your manager is in the middle of something. Don't ask at the end of a rough shift. Don't ask on the busiest day of the week.
The right moment is a calm one, after a solid shift when things went well and your manager has a few minutes to spare. You can even set it up simply: "Is there a good time this week to chat for a few minutes?" That tells them it's coming, and it signals that you're professional enough to skip the ambush.
What to Actually Say
People overthink this part. Keep it short.
For more hours:
"I've been enjoying working here and I'm hoping to pick up more shifts. Is there room for me on [the days you're available]?"
One sentence does the job. Your manager hears that you want to work and that you're available, and the whole situation behind the request can stay at home.
For a raise:
This one takes a bit more groundwork. Know how long you've been there and what you've done in that time. In Ontario, minimum wage is adjusted every October 1, so know where your rate sits against the current number. Then ask plainly:
"I've been here [a few months / close to a year] and I've been keeping up with [a responsibility or two worth mentioning]. I wanted to ask if there's room to review my hourly rate."
Notice what that sentence leaves out. It makes no threat, and it never mentions what someone else earns. "I deserve this" is nowhere in it either, and that phrase on its own can close a door before the conversation starts.
Make it easy for your manager to say yes. Give them a reason and stay calm. A request they can grant without a fight is one they're far more likely to grant.
What to Do When the Answer Is No
The no is the part you're actually scared of, so take it head on.
If the answer is no to more hours, follow up: "Is there anything I can do to be first in line when shifts open up?" That tells them you're still committed.
If the answer is no to a raise, ask: "What would I need to show you for that to change?" A good manager will give you an honest answer. Now you have something specific to work toward.
A no is usually about the business, and your worth as a person stays exactly where it was. Hours depend on how busy the place is. Raises often wait on a budget cycle set above your manager's head, which means the answer can be no in June and yes in October.
How you take the no tells your employer something important about you. Say thank you, and go back to work the same way you were working before you walked in. That response is rarer than you'd think, and it gets noticed.
Humility Will Carry You Further Than Confidence
You'll hear advice to "be confident" and "know your worth." Both are fine as far as they go. Humility will take you further, especially when you're new.
Humility in a job conversation means you know what you've done and can say it plainly, while staying open to what your manager can see from their chair. They know what the budget looks like and who else asked this week.
Going in with that posture keeps it a real conversation. You can hear what comes back without it feeling like a verdict.
Jesus said the worker deserves his wages (Luke 10:7), and Paul repeated it in 1 Timothy 5:18. Your work genuinely matters, and you're allowed to ask for fair pay for it. Proverbs 16:18 says pride goes before destruction, and the person who walks in assuming they're owed something usually walks out with less than they wanted. What the Bible says about money runs much wider than wages, and those two lines sit together: ask for what's fair, and hold the outcome loosely.
Work well whatever the answer is. That habit, built now, will carry you further than any single conversation.
Your One Next Step
Decide right now which conversation you've been putting off. More hours or more pay? Pick one.
Then write down two things: what you've done that's worth pointing to, and what you're asking for. Two lines in your phone, and you're prepared.
The first time you have this conversation it will feel uncomfortable. That's normal. Do it anyway. The skill of asking for what you've earned is one you'll use your entire working life, and the only way you learn it is by actually doing it once.