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Know Your Worth and Escape the Pay Gap #ToxicWorkplaces

Know Your Worth and Escape the Pay Gap #ToxicWorkplaces

By Monica Brown

Welcome back to the #ToxicWorkplaces series, where we shed light on the unspoken realities plaguing professional environments. Today, we tackle a truth many choose to ignore: the undervaluing of your worth.

Do you ever feel like you’re giving 110% at work, but your paycheck doesn’t reflect your effort? You’re not alone. A gender pay gap persists, and many employees struggle to negotiate fair compensation. But fear not, this article equips you with the tools to know your worth, set salary expectations, and navigate the negotiation dance.

8 Smart Strategies for Salary Negotiation

Understanding Your Value

  • Skills & Experience: Catalog your professional skill set, certifications, and relevant work experience. Quantify your impact whenever possible. Did you increase sales by 15%? Streamline a process, saving the company 20% in costs?
  • Market Research: Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to salaries. Utilise salary comparison websites (thinking Glassdoor, Payscale) and industry reports to understand the average compensation for your position, location, and experience level.
  • Know Your “Why”: What motivates you beyond the paycheck? Understanding your intrinsic value (learning opportunities, work-life balance) strengthens your negotiation hand.

The 10 commandments of salary negotiation

Setting Salary Expectations

  • Don’t undervalue yourself: Aim high, but with reason. Back up your desired salary with your research and highlight your unique value proposition.
  • The “Anchor” Effect: When presenting your salary expectation, be the first to throw out a number. This sets the anchor for the negotiation, influencing the final offer.

6 Tips To Negotiate Your Salary With Confidence—And Get What You’re Worth

Negotiation Techniques

  • Confidence is Key: Prepare talking points and rehearse your responses beforehand. Project confidence and a firm understanding of your worth.
  • Focus on Value, Not Needs: Shift the conversation from your financial needs to the value you bring to the company.
  • Data & Evidence: Use your market research and quantifiable achievements to backup your claims.
  • Be Prepared to Walk Away: Knowing your bottom line and being prepared to walk away strengthens your negotiation position.

Salary Negotiation Tactics

Remember: Negotiation is a conversation, not a confrontation. Be respectful, but firm. If the initial offer feels unfair based on your research and value proposition, counter with your desired salary and justification.

This series tackles toxic workplaces, and an unfair salary can certainly contribute to a toxic environment. Don’t let yourself be undervalued. By following these steps, you can approach salary discussions with confidence, ensuring you’re fairly compensated for the incredible value you bring to the table.

Let’s break the cycle of silence and empower ourselves to demand our worth!

KnowYourWorth #SalaryNegotiation #EscapeThePayGap

Monica Brown, Changemaker, Activist And Social Entrepreneur, CRW NEWS Freelance Columnist

Article Reproduced with Permission from Monica Brown

To view the original article by Monica Brown on LinkedIn visit here

We hope you enjoyed the article, you can read more articles from Monica here and there will be more regular weekly articles from Monica Brown coming soon.