Watson Wyatt's Dougherty offers this great list of dos and don'ts to help you get the most from your next performance review:

• DO suggest a face-to-face discussion of the salary increase amount with your supervisor.
• DO come prepared with a self-assessment of performance. Be specific as to why that supports your expected increase amount.
• DO research what companies are paying for similar jobs. Realize that the information you get only represents one perspective on pay. Different sources present different numbers based on the actual job responsibilities, geography, etc. It's a ballpark number, nothing more.
• DO recognize that there is always a company out there that will pay you more. Are there other elements of your job that are important to you, such as a flexible work environment or great benefits, that compensate for a somewhat smaller increase?
• DON'T threaten to leave unless you are prepared to follow through. The hardest time to find a job is when you don't have one.

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Sacha Cohen is a Washington-based business and technology writer. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Kiplinger.com, Fast Company, Oxygen's ka-Ching and other print and online publications. Cohen has been covering Internet trends and culture since 1996.