3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be Scared to Negotiate Your Salary

There’ nothing quite so scary as the idea of negotiating salary for a new job. In fact, about 60% of the population will take the offer when it’s laid out on the table without question. This number goes even higher if the person being offered that salary is a woman.

 

Why do we hold back? What makes salary negotiation so terrifying?

 

You Think You’re Not Supposed to Do It

 

We’re raised with the belief that we shouldn’t ask for things. We’re taught it’s greedy or pushy. The reality of the situation is unless you’re being offered the most plum deal on the planet, you’re probably being undervalued. Companies are all about the bottom line, so it’s in their best interest to offer what they feel is the best deal they can get away with. In truth, they already have wiggle room built into the offer. They expectthere to be a negotiation.

 

You Think You’ll Come off as Arrogant

 

Nobody likes being thought of as being egotistical. On the other hand, there’s a big difference between someone who feels confident about their abilities and a prima donna. The difference comes in knowing where to draw the line. Showing you value your time and skills lets the potential employer know you feel sure of what you can do. As a result, they’re going to raise their expectations of you. If you were genuinely arrogant, you wouldn’t be asking for more—you’d go in expecting the world to fall over itself on your behalf.

 

You Think It Won’t Work Anyway

 

Again, we’re looking at faulty expectations. We tend to think the number offered is already as high as the employer will go. This is never the case. What’s more, the odds are with you. The majority of people who ask, actually do receive an increase in their salary, by several thousand. The national average? Good negotiators on average take home $5,000 more per year than they would have otherwise. With this in mind, why wouldn’t you ask? The worst-case scenario? The other person says ‘no.’ Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

Remember, good negotiation starts before you even attend the interview. Know what this potential job is worth. Research online to find out what a typical salary should be and take that information with you to the very first meeting. 

 

With so much potential positive outcome, it just makes sense to try. Never be afraid of standing up for yourself, especially when it comes to something as simple of this. The salary of your dreams is waiting for you.