Know your worth!
There is still a pay gap in America. According to business.org women make 80¢ for every dollar that their male counterpart makes. A large part of this is due to the fact that women are afraid to talk about money. Where men tend to overvalue their skills, women do the exact opposite. Men simply aren’t afraid to broach that awkward conversation regarding asking for more money.
Well, you shouldn’t be either. Anytime anyone offers you pay, you must negotiate and here is why. People often switch companies in order to gain a pay raise. Therefore, the time to ask for more money is when you are first accepting a job offer. Think about it, you’ve likely gone through a round of interviews and your potential employer has reached out to your references. That’s a lot of effort. If they truly are excited about hiring you, asking for an additional $5,000 shouldn’t negate the job offer.
If it does and they do rescind the offer, that’s not a company you want to working for. If a company terminates negotiations with you solely because you’re asking for more money, then they aren’t a company that’s going to be extending you more money in the near future. If a company doesn’t promote growth, don’t limit yourself by working for them.
Otherwise, the worst that can happen is that a company says no. You’ve then broached the awkward conversation. This will make it much easier to revisit the subject in a year’s time. Do your homework and look for competitive rates on glassdoor. Understand that you are functioning as your very own salesman, so don’t sell yourself short!
Madeline Mann, creator of Self Made Millennial, is a great resource for learning about negotiating pay and raises. Her experience as an HR leader, means that she’s helped thousands of people find jobs that fit their skill set. If you are ready to negotiate your salary or ask for a raise, check out her website for tips and tricks.
Madeline talks about 6 other things to negotiate BESIDES just your salary.
So get out there and don’t be afraid to ask for more, because you’re worth a whole lot!
