Most people who are successful at work are successful for a reason. They work hard. They bring in new accounts. They made two million dollars for the company last year. They are the “go to” person for just about everything. We’ve yet to meet any successful person in the business world who said they “lucked into” their job, or that the Career Fairy came along and rapped their forehead with a magic wand, or that they happened to be in the right place at the right time. Yes, luck can be a factor in one’s success, but the business world isn’t a lottery. You can’t just sit back and cross your fingers, hoping that you picked the right combination of numbers to land yourself a windfall. One of the necessary skills for success is negotiating; not just in the business world, but when it comes to your own salary and job perks. We found a few resources to help you be a better negotiator:
This is a crucial point in the interview process, when it’s appropriate – and expected – to negotiate your salary. According to Salary.com, about 80 percent of organizations expect negotiations and leave themselves some wiggle room when presenting a salary offer.
You’ve created an inspiring resume, used every job-search tactic in the book and aced your second and third interviews. By the time an offer is finally presented, chances are good that you’re worn out, and hungry to accept what's on the table and begin your new role.
To begin, make sure you are in the salary negotiation mindset. It’s up to you to ask, so be confident. Evaluate yourself so you know just what your company will see and what you can say about yourself. You can do this by keeping score of your accomplishments—just make sure to highlight them during review! Present yourself memorably and favorably by demonstrating what you’ve done to earn that pay bump.
If the thought of negotiating a higher salary makes you anxious, you are not alone. Most people just don’t feel comfortable negotiating that raise, and women especially have a hard time arranging their starting salary—a measly 7% of women will negotiate their starting salary, as opposed to 57% of men. To get the salary you deserve, there are several important things to do and ways to plan before presenting your case.
Curated from How To Negotiate A Higher Salary [Infographic]
Here’s a good example: A famous study done by Linda Babcock for her book, Women Don’t Ask, revealed that only about 7% of women attempted to negotiate their first salary, while 57% of men did. Of those people who negotiated, they were able to increase their salary by over 7%.
That may not sound like much, but as Stanford negotiation professor Margaret A. Neale puts it, “If you and your counterpart who negotiated are treated identically by the company—you are given the same raises and promotions—35 years later, you will have to work eight more years to be as wealthy as your counterpart at retirement.”
So, whether you’re male or female, in your first job or your fifth, it’s time to start negotiating. And we’re here to help, with a roundup of expert tips and further reading to get you totally prepped for your next negotiation.
