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.
