Negotiate Better Pay

Why You Should Always Negotiate a Better Wage

While women have advanced considerably in the workplace, there still exists a significant difference in salaries when compared with their male counterparts. While gender discrimination may be one cause of this disparity, a lack of salary negotiation may be another.In his article entitled “For Women, a Failure to Negotiate,” Pallavi Gogoi reports that while women represent nearly 50% of full-time professionals, including executives and managers, they only make 72% of what their male counterparts make. And while many may assume that’s gender discrimination residue, executive coach Lee E. Miller argues it may simply be the result of a lack of negotiation. “Most women hardly negotiate when they get a job offer,” says Miller, co-author of A Woman’s Guide to Successful Negotiating. “That’s because they look at the offer as the goal, not the beginning of a relationship.”That 28% represents a significant difference that adds up over a career-time. Joann Lublin discusses this in her Wall Street Journal article “Paying the Nice Price.” She references Linda Babcock, a Carnegie Mellon University economic professor who calls it “the accumulation of disadvantage.” Babcock explains that a 22-year old professional who fails to get her first job offer of $25,000 increased by $5,000 will lose more than $568,000 by the time she reaches retirement.Whether you’re a man or a woman, you don’t want to loose half a million dollars by failing to negotiate. It’s important that you acquire this valuable skill. Here are five things to remember when negotiating for a better salary:

Avoid desperation. No matter how badly you want the job, curb your enthusiasm. Employers can smell desperation and will use it to their advantage by offering you a lower salary. The more confident and self-assured you are, the more appealing you will be to potential employers. When they sense that you won’t settle for less, chances are they won’t offer it.Be enthusiastic. When purchasing something, like a car or home, experts tell you to act like you don’t want it; you’ll get a better deal that way. This concept doesn’t apply to the job hunt. If an organization senses apathy on your part, they’ll choose someone else. So it’s important that you be enthusiastic and show your interest in the employer and their position.Show them why you’re the best fit. To get the best salary you should illustrate why you’re the best candidate. When you shine above and beyond the other applicants you become the best person for the job, and as such, the person deserving the best wage.Wait until you know they want you. Don’t start talking about salary before they’ve made it clear that you’re the candidate they want. Once they make an offer you can be assured that you’re their best pick and now that the ball is in your court, you can begin negotiations.Keep looking. It’s important that you don’t become emotionally invested in one job. Regardless of how much you want a particular position, don’t stop searching. In fact, one good way to negotiate a better salary is when you’ve received competing job offers.

All professionals, men and women, need to be able to negotiate a better salary. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but we promise that it will pay off in the end. Literally.ReferencesGogoi, Pallavi. “For Women, a Failure to Negotiate.” 22 April 2005. BusinessWeek.comLublin, Joann S. “Paying the Nice Price.” The Wall Street Journal