#LiterallyNoIdea How to Negotiate a Salary

Long time no talk, right? I know I say this often but... I will get better about producing content! I have several topics (blogs and vlogs) lined up and even in production; I just need to press enter - get it? Instead of pull the trigger?

Anyway, I had someone send me this message on Facebook: "So, I have an interview next week. They reached out to me for the position as soon as they opened it which was awesome that I didn't have to apply. But anyways, I was doing some research on the position because it's not exactly a medical assistant position (what she normally does). It's a medical scribe with some additional responsibilities. Anyways, the median wage in this area is like WAY below what I would consider acceptable, especially since it's pretty much what I have done in the past in another state. How would you go about asking for a higher pay rate than what someone would typically make in the area for that position? #literallynoidea"

Now, this was a topic I could get behind. I personally have never negotiated for higher pay. I was in the same position for nearly two years; I packed on several new responsibilities and really excelled at all of them according to my quarterly reviews. However, I never asked for a raise or negotiated a higher pay. Why? I was afraid I would be let go for asking too much. This also hints at my self-esteem issue; I have no idea what my work ethic is worth so I was settling for any paycheck. After doing some research once I was let go from that company, I realized I was wildly underpaid, anywhere between $8 and $10 an hour less than those with my experience doing less than what I was doing.

Moral of the story: don't be afraid to take chances... but definitely know how to do it!

Sounds Great But Why Should I Do It?

I'll give you four reasons.

An article from themuse.com said,"A survey by Salary.com revealed that only 37% of people always negotiate their salaries—while an astonishing 18% never do. Even worse, 44% of respondents claim to have never brought up the subject of a raise during their performance reviews." With not many people asking, that means you will stand out and have more of a chance to be heard.
According to Forbes, many employers view the skill of negotiation as an affirmation of confidence and a good sign of a great employee. More money and a great start? Win win!
And again referencing Forbes, " Many hiring managers are prepared to give you $10,000 to $15,000 more than they offer — but they won’t do it unless you ask, says Kate Gremillion, a career consultant and CEO of Mavenly + Co., an Atlanta-based company that provides professional development resources for women." That's an awesome trip to Europe, an awesome down payment for a new car, or, like, 20,000 Americanos at Dutch Bros. Regardless of which suits your fancy, that's a lot of dough.
There's an article from Forbes which states, "Women are underpaid. As of 2015, women working full time earned 80% of what men working full time did, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. So it should be no surprise that research has shown women receive less money from Social Security upon retirement and take longer to pay off their student loans."

Okay, But... How Do I do It?

If you have read any of my money blogs, you know that Whitney Hansen is my #gurl. I literally love her. From paying off debt to saving for Santorini, she is the definition of a #girlboss and #moneyguru. She published a vlog about asking for a raise and I believe her plan of action is perfect for this scenario: PDA.

Prepare

Just like Scar says in the Lion King, "Be prepared." It is so important to walk into an interview or a review ready for anything. Here are the best tips I found in my research on preparing for the negotiation.

What Are You Worth? I hope I am not alone when I say I get very uncomfortable when I have to place a price tag on my time and efforts. However, there are several great resources to help you through this process, including websites like Glassdoor or asking other people in your fields what the appropriate pay ranges. Take into account your experiences but apply those experiences to the prospective position. Look at your skills as additional features you can add to the existing package; the base package of a car may be $30,000 but with the turbo engine, the sunroof and the heated seats (all features that aren't necessary but add value to the car) the car is now worth $60,000. Sell your additional features.
Aim High - Give Room for Negotiation. When doing your industry research, you will probably find a range rather than a hard number. After figuring your worth, you should take the researched range and adjust it for your experience. "For instance, if you see the compensation rage for web developers in your area is 67,000-114,000 and your personalized estimate is 75,000, your realistic salary range is between 70,000 and 80,000," according to Glassdoor.
Practice Makes Perfect. Finally, practice like you're preparing for your Broadway debut. This is a wildly uncomfortable situation for many people but you will learn so much and your bank account will thank you later if you win the negotiation.

Document

Plain and simple - prove you deserve more.

Create a Brag Sheet. In addition to your resume, themuse.com suggests creating a summary page spelling out just how great you are. In this article, the author quotes Kathleen O'Malley of Babble, "'List any accomplishments, awards, and customer or co-worker testimonials (“You saved me when you did XYZ!” emails definitely count as testimonials!) you’ve received since your last review. You want to demonstrate your value to your boss.'” This provides you with the opportunity to leave them with a lasting impression.

Ask

What do you say? Lucky for you I did a whole lot of digging to help you form the best negotiation you can!

Put all your prep to good work. Walk in with your head held high, your preparation documents in place and an ability to listen; don't argue but rather compromise.
I have heard several sources give their opinions about who should throw numbers first. Personally, after reading that many recruiters are prepared to offer $10,000 - $15,000 more makes me believe we should at least have a starting point from the company. If the company hasn't addressed salary, this opens the door wide up for negotiation.
Have #literallynoidea how to word your negotiation? Here is a sample script from Rebecca Thorman quoted in this article:“I’m really excited to work here, and I know that I will bring a lot of value. I appreciate the offer at $58,000, but was really expecting to be in the $65,000 range based on my experience, drive, and performance. Can we look at a salary of $65,000 for this position?”
Don't be afraid to hear "no." A negotiation is just that; don't expect to get what you want right away. You are supposed to be meeting to find a middle ground.

Final Tips

According to Forbes, I want to list these 10 things not to say when negotiating salary:

I have a lot of other companies trying to recruit me.
If you hire me, I'll be an amazing employee.
I'll make you glad you hired me — I'll work weekends or do whatever you want me to do.
I have a lot of expenses.
I work harder than most people.
I was earning more money than this years ago.
I was the top of my class in school.
I'm worth more than what you offered.
I'm insulted by your offer.
If you can't improve the offer, you will lose me and then you'll be stuck.