I was talking to a group of my coworkers today, and while we didn’t discuss exact salary numbers, a common theme I noticed was that none of them felt the need to negotiate or even thought it was a plausible idea. I gave them all what I am sure was quite the bewildered look because I was able to successfully negotiate a slight salary increase when I started working. Upon asking them why they didn’t feel the need, I heard a variety of reasons including the salary was already higher than what they were previously getting, they didn’t think about it, or it was their first job so they didn’t want to risk it. This led me to question why there is still such a stigma associated with salary negotiations for women.

According to a study conducted by Robert Half in 2018, 68% of men and only 45% of women negotiated their salary. Only about 70% of managers expected their candidates to negotiate. I believe my previous manager expected us to negotiate our salaries, which I took advantage of. I knew my skill level and knew the level of competency and experience I would be bringing to this company and made sure to mention that when given the opportunity. My new manager does not expect anyone to negotiate. The other women on the team were content to accept the salary as is without asking for any kind of adjustments. I thought that was odd until I learned that he was basing their salaries off of mine instead of basing it off of their respective skill levels. I am not proud to admit I felt undervalued when I learned he gave someone with a BS and no job experience the same starting salary as me even though I have nearly 10 years of experience with an MS. What he didn’t give her, though, was a chance to negotiate at all.

Negotiating is not something regularly taught in classes across the U.S. You don’t learn the skill unless you take a Management course, and even then it is glossed over sometimes. According to a study published in 2018, 7 out of 10 millennials feel uncomfortable haggling or negotiating. In my opinion, this ties in directly to being overworked. According to a survey in 2019, 77% of Americans admit to being overworked and working more than 60 hour work weeks. I will admit that I fall into that category easily, having just put in 20 hours of work in a single day last week to try to finish off one project before being thrown into a brand new one this week. If you couple being overworked with the 43% of people who think they are underpaid as of 2018, and you have the perfect recipe for a generation who will reach burnout before they hit 40.

Does it sound like I veered off on a tangent? Maybe I did, but it all ties back to the art of negotiation. That 43% who think they are underpaid probably did not negotiate their salary when they joined their current place of employment. By providing your candidates the opportunity to negotiate, you are not only building their confidence and ability to comfortably have a conversation with you, but you are also learning another level of their skill set. Being able to talk yourself up while remaining modest is harder than it sounds.

However, negotiation is not only a necessary skill when it comes to talking about salary. It is something that people have to do quite often in the workplace whether you are working with collaborators, coworkers, or even little kids. I don’t know how many times I have babysat for my uncle and have had to negotiate with the smartest 9 year old I know to get him to eat. “If you finish two more chicken nuggets, I will build your train set for you!” It mostly works until he gets distracted by something else.

My point with this article is to encourage you to negotiate the next time you are offered a job. If you are unsure of where to start, I am posting a few links below that you can follow. The feeling you get when you successfully negotiate something that will impact your life moving forward has a pretty rewarding feeling that comes with it. Believe me, it’s worth it!

How to Negotiate Salary: 37 Tips You Need to Know
15 Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer
How to Negotiate Salary (with Tips and Examples
Negotiating Salary 101: Tactics for Better Compensation