NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Now that payrolls have grown for the third consecutive month, it's tempting to think the job market is finally turning around. So you figure maybe that boss for whom you've slaved since the latest rounds of layoffs is now ready to meet your demands for a raise.

Perhaps, if you play your cards right. After all, there were about 8.8 million people unemployed in October, 2 million of whom have been out of work 27 weeks or longer. And the growth rate in jobs is still not high enough, economists say, to keep pace with the growth in the labor force.

That, coupled with the perennial reality that layoffs are often a budgeting tactic companies adopt in any economy, may give your boss plenty of ammunition to stiff you when you come begging for bucks.

Still, you can't always put your own needs on hold just because the U.S. economy isn't cooperating and your company is forever trying to maximize profit by keeping salaries in check. The good news is, you may have more bargaining power than you think.

Jack Chapman, author of Negotiating Your Salary: How Make $1,000 a Minute, said employees in today's uncertain job market should not be afraid to make their case. Don't assume the company is too strapped for cash to cough up the dough, since it's possible your boss is paying one salary -- yours -- to get two jobs done, he adds.

That said, you'll be in a much stronger position to negotiate if your responsibilities have expanded, and you're not just doing more of the same.

"Workload doesn't always translate into increasing responsibility," said Frank Belmonte, a human resources consultant with Hewitt Associates. If you can demonstrate that you're getting the excess work done more efficiently and creatively, then that's process improvement, which is raise-worthy, he said.

Of course, timing is everything, and you're the best person to decide when there's a good opening to broach the subject. Build and document a track record before approaching your boss. When you do, be sure to maximize your chance for success.

"Talk the language of the employer -- which is the bottom line," said Ron Krannich, author and publisher of career books, including Dynamite Salary Negotiation. In other words, show your boss how much more business you're bringing in, or how much you're saving the company.

(Take the Money Quiz: Are you a good negotiator?)

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And put it in writing. Krannich suggests making two columns: The left-hand column should detail your duties and accomplishments associated with the job you were hired for, while the right-hand column should detail the same plus the additional tasks you're performing and the successes you've achieved doing so. That way, he said, "they see it in black and white."

That doesn't necessarily mean a raise will be in your next paycheck. Employers are more reluctant to increase pay for an existing position than they are to offer a salary bump for a promotion or new position, Krannich said. If that's the case, you still have a few options to improve your compensation:

• Propose that you receive a salary review in three months, at which time you'll be eligible for a promotion that reflects the new duties you've already assumed.
• Offer to achieve certain goals in exchange for project-based pay if you succeed (e.g., getting a commission on new business you bring in).
• Negotiate for better benefits -- for example, more time off or a more flexible schedule.
• Ask what incentive programs the company offers and how you can qualify.

Whatever strategy you choose, the idea is to "set it up so it's a win-win situation," Krannich said.

No matter how justified you feel in requesting more money, it's never a good idea to be threatening -- unless you enjoy burning bridges and you've got have another job lined up.

Also, it's good to know what your company's competitors pay employees in positions comparable to yours. (But don't stake your whole argument on what others get. A lot of pay is performance-based and the same job title doesn't necessarily mean the same tasks, Belmonte cautions. You're often better off demonstrating how valuable you are in meeting your company's goals.)

The upside is you have a few things going for you before you even utter the word "raise."

First, while no one is indispensable, we're all costly to replace. Your employer may need to spend up to twice your salary to replace you if you're paid at market or below-market rates, Krannich said, noting that your firm will have to pay recruiting and training costs, and possibly more compensation to your successor.

Second, more companies are basing their raises on performance. If you've survived a layoff, chances are good you're among the company's strongest performers, Belmonte said.

Lastly, your company wants to be competitive. If it doesn't pay people what they're worth, it risks lowering employee morale and productivity. Any business worth working for knows one thing, Krannich said: "If money doesn't talk, talent walks."