As Kris Jenner once said, “If somebody says no, you’re talking to the wrong person”. Most people tend to feel anxious about negotiating things like a raise, availability, length of your shifts etc. However, it’s a conversation that must be had to ensure that you are content and are being properly compensated.
The most important thing you can have at your workplace is confidence. You need to be aware of your value and maintain confidence that you can achieve your workplace goals. Having self-assurance in your worth, as an employee will create more opportunities in your career.
If you want a raise, start by envisioning what that would look like. Do your research to see if your wage falls within the median salary of your current occupation. If it does, and you’ve been working at the company for 6 months to a year, then it’s the right time to ask for a raise. Asking between a 10 percent to 20 percent raise is a great starting point. Be aware of your contribution at your workplace, if you are a reliable and hardworking employee, then speak to your manager about getting a promotion or raise. Never be afraid of speaking up for yourself in this competitive field. As long as your ask is reasonable, you already have a great place to negotiate from.
Perhaps you want to negotiate your work schedule. Start by brainstorming what that schedule would look like, hybrid, fully online, longer shifts with a 4-day work week? Determine the outcome you would like and speak to your employer about it. Be open to considering new job positions within your company. You could potentially land your ideal job at your current workplace and since you already work there and have connections, you can get colleagues to put in a good word for you. Sometimes people are able to get an amazing job, just from networking within their workplace community.
Most people are hired through referrals but no matter what your standing is, there’s always going to be something about you that is valuable to your employer. Most of the time employers are interested in learning what your goals are and when that opportunity arises, you’ll likely be at the top of mind when they have a similar need. Half of your job is done by just informing your employer of your intentions. As there is no way for your employer to know what your interests are until you let them know.
You are your best representative, don’t sell yourself short. Never feel stuck at your current job because you can always use your experience to leverage a better job. At the end of the day, you are your biggest asset, and you need to have the confidence in knowing your self-worth. Every successful person you know and admire, has made negotiations to get to where they are. If they can negotiate successfully, then so can you.
This article was written by Silvia Santos.
Silvia is a writer and college student currently living in California. She is an undergraduate pursuing her teaching credential in English. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, and reading.