You Have Not Because You Ask Not (Career)

When it comes to your career rule number 1 is to ALWAYS negotiate your salary! This is honestly the easiest money you will ever make. It’s more than a few thousand dollars. If you don’t negotiate your salary when you first start a job you will be further behind financially. Annual raises are usually based on a percentage the more money you have to start out with the higher your pay raises will be, and the further ahead you will be in the long run. I didn't negotiate my first salary because I was just happy to have a job, but a few years into my career I started learning the power of negotiation, and how I should go about the awkward conversation of asking for more money and other benefits. 

1.) Don’t just ask for more money because you have bills. News flash everyone does! Sell your value. What do YOU bring to the table that warrants a higher salary. Is it a recent certification or a degree? Do you bring in additional leadership experience from your community involvement? Think about any additional projects that you have worked on and how those have added value to the organization.

2.) Ask for more than you want so that you have some room to move. Say for instance your target is 50K and they offer you 47K  you can ask for 53K-55K during your negotiation process. You would be surprised more times than not they will give you the number that you ask for or at least a few thousand dollars more than the initial offer. It is honestly the easiest money you will ever make simply from asking.  

3.)If they can’t give you money ask for more time off, or ask for telecommuting days. Sometimes time off can mean more than money and some companies are willing to give this instead of money. Also telecommuting allows for more flexibility, which is always a bonus. 

4.) If you are moving to a new state ask if the company will pay something towards relocation, or if they offer a sign on bonus to help with moving expenses. Even if you are already planning to move to the new location always ask because they may say yes and that means more money in your pocket!

It's OK to ask for these things because you have a job offer. Remember they like you! In most cases the company is ready to end the job search process, and they are expecting you to negotiate because you are amazing, and of all the candidates that applied they picked YOU. At the beginning of my career I didn’t ask for things because I was just grateful to have a job. I have now learned that that is actually a huge mistake you should always negotiate! A year and a half into my career I started asking for things, and I have always gotten something even if it wasn’t exactly what I asked for. 

Recently I asked to transform my role at work. I was outgrowing my position, but I wanted to stay with the company I created a proposal of what my new job would look like in 2018, and the projects that I would manage for the upcoming year. I also included the certifications that I wanted to obtain throughout the year to help push me to that next level in my career. In this proposal I also included the salary that I wanted with taking on these new responsibilities. In my proposal I related my projects back to the business plan, and sold the value that I could add to the company with my new Master's degree, and I got almost everything that I asked for! I made up my new job all because I asked. So I encourage you to ask for what you want in this upcoming year you never know what the results will be! The bible says in James 4:2 you have not because you ask not, which leads me to believe that it is important to ask for the things that we want in this life.  Don't let the fear of rejection hold you back from asking for what you really want in this season!

Graduation from BGSU August 2017