Ask HN: Performance review coming up, when to ask for a raise?

We have an annual performance review period, in the one from the previous year I was thinking about asking for a raise but I didn't do it because my boss told me he talked with the CTO and they decided to give me a raise. The % was a bit lower than what I was going to ask, but it felt weird to ask for more after they did the job and finally decided the number.

Now the new performance review is coming and I'd like to ask for another raise but I don't know when it's the right time for it. I'd like to avoid the previous year experience.

This is the process: 1) I have to do an self evaluation 2) My manager does his evaluation of my perf 3) My manager talks with other people to "calibrate" my perf 4) We have the perf review meeting

Last year my idea was to talk about it after (4) but I don't know if it'd be better to talk about it in an earlier stage.

What do you think?

You can ask for a raise at any time. You should have a number in mind, and prepare to negotiate. You should have some accomplishments to cite, demonstrating your value to the business. If you don't have a good bargaining position -- not prepared to change jobs -- then you don't want to get too aggressive about it. Don't beg or act meek, but don't create a conflict -- a fine line to walk. Confidence pays off.

An expert salesman once told me to always ask for one unreasonable thing, to focus the conversation on that as if the other side already agreed to everything else. Taking his advice and coaching I once asked for a raise and a company expense credit card, and a leased car. My boss said "We're not getting a car for you." I got the raise and credit card. At another job I asked for a raise and a new top of the line MacBook Pro for working from home. I got a MacBook Air, and the raise.