10 September 2023
How to negotiate for anything at work
For a lot of people, negotiation feels awkward. But the old adage is true: You don’t get what you don’t ask for. Luckily, like most things, negotiation gets easier the more times you do it. And the good news is that even if you don’t get everything you ask for, chances are you are likely to get some. In fact, according to one recent survey, 83% of people who negotiate their salary when they accepted a new job say they received higher pay.
NEGOTIATION SHOULD BE A CONVERSATION, NOT A POWER STRUGGLE
The first step in asking for anything (a raise, a promotion, remote work, more flexibility, a new assignment, etc.) is to approach the conversation as a collaboration instead of a power struggle. Statements like “I would love to understand what the opportunity is to get closer to this salary,” open up the conversation rather than shutting it down with a simple yes or no.
And if you get a no, try setting expectations on a time frame to get to a yes by agreeing on benchmarks that you can reach and check back on in three to six months.
PREPARATION PART 1: RESEARCH
Research is important, both when you are negotiating salary in a new role or hoping for a raise in your current job. The first step is to find out the market salary range for the position by using sites like salary.com, payscale.com, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Look to see what people with similar titles in your industry earn (just remember to factor in location and length of experience).
