According to a poll conducted in early 2018 by global staffing firm Robert Half, Forty-six percent of men negotiated salary compared to 34 percent of women. That means that 66 percent of women aren’t negotiating their salary. That also means men are more likely than women to ask for what they’re worth.
In this day and age, there is no reason why you shouldn’t negotiate! More importantly, there are reasons why you should always negotiate. At the end of the day, you have nothing to lose. Check out 5 reasons why you should always negotiate your salary and/or your benefits.
Reasons Why You Should Always Negotiate
#1 – If you don’t, you are leaving money behind
The number one reason why you should always negotiate your salary or your benefits is because if you don’t, you could be leaving money behind. If an employer was willing to give you more money, you just had to ask for it, you would never know if you didn’t negotiate.
Not to mention, what’s the worst that can happen if you do negotiate? They say no? If you were already going to accept the job anyways, it doesn’t matter. You may as well try to get as much money for the position as you possibly can.
#2 – Negotiating shows you know your worth
A lot of companies actually want potential candidates to negotiate. It shows that the candidate knows their worth (and hopefully can back it up). Companies want these types of individuals working for them. If you have nothing to lose for negotiating, you can at least show prospective companies what your worth by asking for what you deserve.
#3 – You feel happier at your place of work
There’s nothing like feeling you are getting paid appropriately for the work you’re doing. If you negotiate your salary and are happy with how negotiations turn out, you feel happier at work. The feeling of being taken for granted or “overworked and underpaid” is irrelevant to your situation. What a great reason to always negotiate!
#4 – You don’t get what you don’t ask for
The reality is, no one is just going to give you what you ask for, if they don’t even know what you want. A company can’t expect to know that you’re worth a $10k salary bump. It’s your job to ask for it and prove why you deserve to get it. You don’t get what you don’t ask for. So, open up that mouth of yours and start asking for the things you want!
#5 – You build confidence in your skills
When you get more practice with negotiating, you start building up confidence in your skills! You feel more comfortable asking for what you want, even if it has nothing to do with your salary. Any chance you get to practice negotiation, take it! You could negotiate the price of furniture, your credit card interest rate, or in your next salary review at work.
Resources on How to Negotiate
You don’t have to feel alone when it comes to negotiating. There are plenty of resources available to help you learn what it takes to ask for what you want, especially at work. Here are some of our favorite resources:
- 5 Tips to Negotiate Your Salary
- How to Ask for a Raise at Work
- The Muse’s Negotiation Articles
Related: 6 Personal Skills that Help You Grow in Your Career
Are you convinced that you should now start negotiating?! The reasons above should be powerful enough for you to take action. Have you had experience with negotiating? How did it go? Share your tips and negotiation experiences with the community by dropping a comment below!
2 thoughts on “5 Reasons Why You Should Always Negotiate”
Great article! I really love #4 – I try to always tell myself that if you don’t ask, the answer is always no. I find negotiating really difficult. I feel like it puts me in a really vulnerable position.
I agree with you Priya! You truly don’t get what you don’t ask for – so you may as well ask!