Seriously!
You think $2000 or $7000 is nothing and not worth the risk to negotiate when you start at a new job but it is the BEST TIME to ask for money.
When you start a new job, you’re shiny, new, and no one sees your lemony flaws.
The workplace is dazzled, and if you don’t bother to negotiate and ask for more money, not only will you NOT GET IT (duh) but you will also end up shortchanging yourself in the long run as this article states:
$7000 compounded over 35 years = 8 years of less wealth than someone who asked for that $7000 35 years ago.
It just makes sense.
I highly recommend reading that article (man or woman), and here are the highlights of what people do wrong when they negotiate:
- They aren’t prepared with what they should ask for
- They say things like “I SHOULD negotiate” instead of “I DID negotiate”
- Women in particular have lower expectations when it comes to salary (*siss boom bah!*)
- Women think that if they ask for more money they’ll look greedy and have a bad reputation especially with a male boss
Aside from the fact that there IS a gender bias already inherent in our cultures (watch this fab video)…
Observations in why women in particular have a hard time negotiating:
- They’re just grateful they got the job offer which makes it hard to push them for a little more money (Low Expectations.)
- They don’t want to take any risks with losing the job in hand (THEY ALREADY WANT YOU.)
- They don’t want to look ungrateful or greedy and let emotions come into play with this (they actually respect you more if you push.)
- They can’t get to the point in a simple manner and beat around the bush when hemming and hawing (Be confident & self-assured.)
- They fold / cave in too easily when they’re met with even the littlest resistance because they don’t want to deal with conflict or fight
- They want to still keep a “nice” image of a “nice” woman, not a power-hungry / money grubbing b*tch (money is money, yo!)
You don’t need people to love and like you as a friend at work. You need them to respect you and enjoy working with you in a professional manner.
Working is not dating. It’s not having friends. It’s WORKING.
Until women can separate personal and professional, this hangup of wanting to be the one liked by all the cheerleaders and popular girls in school will constantly be a burr in their saddle for their careers.
Robb Engen
When I switched careers I had a specific salary target in mind (what it would take to get me to switch) and when they offered me the job the salary was $5,000 lower than my target. Rather than jumping at the offer, which I was excited about after a grueling interview process, I asked for the extra $5,000. They accepted and, after two years of wage freezes, I’m glad that I stuck to my guns.
You’re right about the compounding – such a profound effect over the course of your career.
save. spend. splurge.
It makes a big difference. I was offered $50,000 at my first job when I left college and I negotiated an extra $15,000.
That $15,000 was money that I would have gotten in the next 10 years of working there with minimal wage increases. Instead, I got it from the get-go, didn’t have to worry about wage freezes and everyone else at my level was making $15,000 less.
2% on a higher amount = more money. It’s just math.
AdinaJ
The only time I really, actually negotiated, I felt terrible. I was sufficiently motivated to do it, but I hated it … even though I got the result/raise I wanted. It’s the fear of being perceived as not a team player, or thinking too highly of yourself, etc. I was surprised by how affected by that mentality I actually was.
save. spend. splurge.
It takes practice. It isn’t easy to demand for more money.
Alicia @ Financial Diffraction
I didn’t negotiate my first position because they offered me 5k more than I asked for. In retrospect what they gave me is the right salary vs what I asked for… I undervalues myself. But I just changed positions and I negotiated a 12.5% raise rather than the 8% they offered me. Not too shabby. But I totally agree that negotiation is necessary. I think I’ll probably turn into one of those women who is seen as “tough”, but I’m okay with that.
save. spend. splurge.
Nice! 12.5% is quite respectable 🙂 The more you get early on, the more you will make as your career progresses — I call it compounding income 😉
GirlinaTrenchcoat
Ooooh boy, I am guilty of doing/thinking all of the above. I wish I had this advice years ago.
I’d also like to add a less-common but unavoidable factor for some people thinking they’re not able to negotiate salary: foreign worker/immigration issues.
I was offered a position with a work visa, for which the processing would be paid for by the company. I was just so relieved to actually get an offer with a work visa that I said yes to the very low salary. Thank goodness the company’s lawyer said they had to raise my salary a good amount to be on par with the ‘industry standards’. I had no idea I was being underpaid- and I would have sucked it up anyway just for immigration purposes if it hadn’t been for his advice!
Bottom line, even if you are an immigrant/foreigner on a work visa you still have to know your worth and not cave just because you are so relieved someone will hire you.
save. spend. splurge.
Yes by immigration law / standards you cannot underpay an immigrant worker. You need to pay them the SAME salary as a U.S. worker or else it’s consider poaching or basically having an immigrant workforce for too cheap which is not what the U.S. government wants.