I’ve always dreaded asking for anything I want. I hate asking for help, even when I know I can’t do it alone. Heck, I can barely even work up enough courage to ask my server for a beverage refill.
So when it comes to negotiating, it’s pretty much the last thing on the entire planet that I’d want to do. And of course, salary negotiation falls within this category. I mean, what could be worse than talking financials with your boss?
Maybe I’m just afraid of rejection, or being perceived as greedy or selfish. Who knows? Whatever the reason, I was scared to ask for a raise.
When I was offered my first position out of college, I’ll admit I was disappointed with their initial offer. Realistically, I knew I was a recent college grad without any particularly advanced skills. But I did know that what they were offering was well below the average starting salary for someone in my field.
So, I could either accept the position for what it was and be unhappy for the foreseeable future. Or, I could negotiate.
As terrified as I was with the idea of negotiating, I knew my expectations weren’t unrealistic. I had done plenty of research and practiced my speech again and again. Though I was clearly nervous, I stood my ground during my discussion with Human Resources. And guess what? They matched my request!
And to think – I almost listened to my fear and didn’t negotiate. Had I done that, I would have lost out on thousands of dollars.
Don’t let your fear prevent you from getting paid what you’re worth. Here’s how you can ask for a higher pay, even if you’re scared.
Research to Find Your Number
In order to have a successful negotiation, you need to know what your ideal salary is. From there, you can decide what you will settle for if you don’t receive the full increase you are asking for.
But how do you come up with a realistic salary? You research.
Ideally, you want to figure out what someone, with your experience, in your geographic location, is paid. The more detail you can provide, the better.
One way to find and compare salary data is through websites like Glassdoor and PayScale. Both of these sites have crowd sourced massive amounts of salary data. Another way to do this is through staffing agencies, like Randstad, who typically provide well-researched salary data based on most major geographic areas in the United States.
Once you find specific salary data, share that with your boss. It’s hard for your employer to argue the facts. If you research and have a solid idea of what you are realistically worth, then your employer should at least listen. Furthermore, researching can give you the confidence you need because you have all the data at hand.
And a word of caution – the worst thing you can do is ask your boss for a raise because you could use the extra cash. This happens all the time, and it’s sabotaging your chances at a raise. Your employer isn’t responsible for ensuring your bills get paid – you are. In fact, employers are frequently audited by the Department of Labor. If the DOL finds that one person has questionably higher pay with no substantial reasoning, it could open up questions of discrimination. To avoid potential law suits, employers must prove that they utilize a fair and consistent pay scale across the board.
Employers want to give raises based on merit, not on need. If you are in desperate need of extra cash, try side hustling.
Take Stock of Your Accomplishments
Remember – data is your friend. If you currently work for an employer, take note of all of your major (and minor) accomplishments. Assemble the information and provide as much detail as you can. For instance, if you lead a project that ended up saving the company $50,000, mention that! That’s the type of data that your employer can’t dispute.
The key here is to remind your employer just how valuable you are. Focus on your past accomplishments, and your future goals.
Now that you’re in a salary discussion with your boss, you have all the information you need to present.
Find a Solution Together
When you enter into a salary negotiation, you may feel like it is an “us” versus “them” mentality, meaning you against your employer. While that is often how negotiation is portrayed, that type of thought process isn’t helpful.
It is clear that both you and your employer have a problem – you are unhappy with your pay, and feel as though you deserve more. You need to work together to find a solution that you are both satisfied with.
Thinking of negotiation as a collaboration instead of debate really helps to take some of the pressure off. You might just be surprised at how fluid the conversation goes!
Related:
Have you ever negotiated for higher pay? What was the outcome? What other tips do you have for overcoming fear?
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