You Must Negotiate Your Salary!

When it comes to one of the most important things that we can do to make a positive financial difference in our lives, we’re not very diligent about doing it. Surveys have shown that almost 2 out of every 10 people never negotiate their salary!

Another 4 of 10 only sometimes negotiate their salary. So more than half of every employed person in this country doesn’t negotiate their salary on a consistent basis.

The two reasons they most often give for not doing so are 1. They’re afraid to do so. 2. They don’t know how or aren’t skilled enough. I’m going to help you with both.

You’re Afraid to Ask for More

If you’re negotiating your salary and benefits for a new company, what is it that you’re afraid of? Do you think the company is not going to offer you the job or do you think they’ll pull an offer if you ask for too much?

If you’ve gotten far enough along that you can discuss salary, it’s a pretty good bet that you’re the one or at least a finalist. I can tell you that most decisions on who to hire aren’t made on salary.

If what you’re asking for is way out of the ballpark or just not in the range that the company is willing to pay for the job you’re pursuing, they’ll tell you. At that point, you can either lower your expectations or move on and let them hire a lower-priced candidate.

It’s a good sign though that if they’re still talking to you, they are interested in bringing you aboard.

The company is not going to become angry with you if you ask for more than they’re offering. In fact, most good hiring managers will like to see that assertiveness in their employees or future employees.

Like any negotiation, you have to be prepared to present the case for why you deserve more than what’s being offered. You can’t just ask for more because it’s what you need or want.