Stop thinking that above average is good enough --- you shouldn't be happy with that. You should be thinking about top 5% (of people with your number of years experience).
Listen to the other advice here and go negotiate, but if the best point you have is I'm average and not paid average, you aren't at a strong negotiating point, yet (I know you said "above" average, but you also said that you "feel like" it's that -- meaning you accept that you might not be).
If you don't get the raise, and you feel like it's hopeless to get it. End with: What do I have to do to merit this raise in 6 months? Then go exceed it by a lot, and keep going. Future negotiations will be much easier.
Also, becoming more than marginally above average will make finding a different job much easier too.
Comments
Stop thinking that above average is good enough --- you shouldn't be happy with that. You should be thinking about top 5% (of people with your number of years experience).
Listen to the other advice here and go negotiate, but if the best point you have is I'm average and not paid average, you aren't at a strong negotiating point, yet (I know you said "above" average, but you also said that you "feel like" it's that -- meaning you accept that you might not be).
If you don't get the raise, and you feel like it's hopeless to get it. End with: What do I have to do to merit this raise in 6 months? Then go exceed it by a lot, and keep going. Future negotiations will be much easier.
Also, becoming more than marginally above average will make finding a different job much easier too.