Even with the economy on the upswing, you may be reluctant to ask for a raise.

What's the use of asking for money when layoffs are still in the wind? And why take the risk of calling attention to yourself when managers are still looking for costs to cut? Maybe the smart thing is to keep a low profile and not bother the boss, you think.

Ah, but somebody gets a raise every year. And it might as well be you.

In 2003, pay increases nationwide averaged about 3%, the smallest increase since the 1980s, according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting in New York. But pay raises might be larger this year. And companies may be more open to giving raises than you think, especially if you're a revenue-raising go-getter or a person with skills made rare by waves of layoffs.

"The bottom 90% [of workers] might be hearing 'Take one for the team,'" says Bill Coleman, senior vice president of compensation at Salary.com, a compensation research site, "but the top 10% are often given whatever it takes to improve their compensation."

Ready to go in and ask? Here's advice on how to proceed tactfully.

Choose the Right Moment

Don't wait until your annual performance review to ask for a raise. Find out when your company's fiscal year starts, which is when managers typically make budget requests, and have your talk a few months before that.

"You might say, 'Hey, I know you're working on budgets and that things are really tight. I was just wondering what you think about my chance of getting a raise. If you need justifications, I can help,"' advises Amy Jantz, senior compensation and benefits manager at WorldatWork, an association for human resources professionals.

Always try to capitalize on a professional triumph immediately after you've scored it. Laurie Jaramillo of Pasadena, Calif., did this. First, she succeeded in boosting sales sharply in Northern California as a regional sales manger at Styles for Less, a women's clothing chain. Then she asked for a raise -- and a promotion -- after the company tallied its 2002 results in April 2003. She got a 27% salary increase and a new title, director of stores.

Pitch It in Writing

The person who actually decides on your raise may not be your direct boss and may not know you. So describe in writing how your work is helping the company. When Gary Rhoades, litigation director at the Housing Rights Center of Southern California, asked for a raise in January 2002, he sent a two-page memo to the board detailing how his department was starting to pay for itself.

"I think the work I put into the letter itself showed how serious I was," says the 37-year-old Los Angeles resident. He got a 16% raise, not the 30% he wanted. But he also got a cellphone and more vacation.

Think Beyond Dollars

Your manager may not be able to bypass strict salary limits set by the company, but there could be other incentives. Five years ago, 48% of companies awarded spot bonuses. Today 53% do, and an additional 8% are considering it, according to Mercer.

Judy Feld, an executive and career coach in Dallas, advises her clients to ask for bonuses, vacation time or other benefits in addition to raises.

"That gives them a fallback position -- something the company can say yes to," she says.

If Spurned, Try Later

If you've been turned down for a raise, don't be discouraged. Ask how you can improve your chances next time. Gary Rhoades was told that the company would consider giving him another raise in six months. Before that deadline was reached, he was named a California attorney of the year by California Lawyer Magazine.