Late last year, Kimmy Scotti finally took the plunge: She asked her boss for a raise and promotion at the New York marketing firm where she works. In the end, she scored a new title and a six-figure salary.

But nailing the talk took months of preparation. Ms. Scotti made a spreadsheet of her duties and showed how she had actually been doing tasks of the higher-level role for months. The 27-year-old also outlined how she'd saved the company money by switching vendors and renegotiating contracts. She added to the firm's coffers by bringing in new clients.

'You have to tie yourself back to the bottom line at your own company,' says Ms. Scotti.

With the economy continuing its shaky recovery, 20-something workers may feel that it's finally time to ask for that raise or promotion they've been hoping for. And with some research and planning, they could end up with a new gig or higher pay.

First, you'll want to figure out if it's reasonable to be asking for a raise or promotion at all. If you've been working at a company for only a few months, it's probably best to not ask if you haven't proven yourself yet, says Jim Hopkinson, author of 'Salary Tutor: Learn the Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You.'

If there's something outside of work