MELVILLE, N.Y. — If you've been putting off plans to ask for a raise, now might be the time. Especially if the boss keeps telling you what a good job you're doing but doesn't follow up the kudos with more currency.

The shortage of highly skilled workers has emboldened some employees to demand higher salaries.

Fifty eight percent of employees surveyed nationwide by the staffing company Robert Half International and CareerBuilder.com said they are more likely to negotiate a better compensation package today, double the percentage a year ago.

Dale Carnegie Training in Hauppauge, N.Y., is dealing with the worker shortage from another perspective.

It has received increasing numbers of requests for training from companies convinced that the only way to get good people in today's market is to steal them, or grow their own — as in training, says Peter Handal, Dale Carnegie's chairman and chief executive.

For employees seeking a raise, here are a few tips from Handal:

• Look at things from the other person's point of view, Handal says. What does the manager want or expect from you?

Whatever it is, you have to make sure you deliver. And be honest about whether you've fulfilled your manager's expectations, he says.

• Communicate. "It's not just a matter of doing a good job, it's equally important to let a manager know you are doing a good job and doing what he or she wants," he says.

• Do your homework. Find out what a position like yours commands in the job market and also research how much your category is worth within the company.

Also consider the company's circumstances. "If the company is on the verge of bankruptcy ... there's no point in spending a lot of energy in negotiating a raise," he says.

• Get creative. Negotiate not just a salary but total compensation. If your pay won't go any higher because you are at top scale, try asking for an extra day off, a parking space or some kind of fringe benefit that would be just as valuable as cash.

• Be flexible and reasonable. "Don't ask for something that is over the moon," he says.