Always Negotiate: You Deserve More, So Ask for It
In the professional world, you want to advocate for the most competitive package for yourself. Here's why you should always negotiate for higher pay when you receive a job offer.
By Norrell Edwards — March 13, 2023
When I received my second-ever paid job offer, I felt so grateful that someone would pay me money. I immediately accepted the rate, terms, and conditions that came with it—like closing out from 10 pm-midnight, unpaid. I traded my sporadic retail jobs for paid research opportunities a year later. While participating in a summer research program at Stanford, I attended a seminar on negotiations. I learned that women and people of color often accepted lower pay rates because they were afraid to negotiate.
It's been over a decade since I attended that workshop, but little has changed. Tech job search platform Otta recently released data from December 2021 that showed "women of color setting an average minimum salary preference 26% below White men." Women and people of color often fear coming off too aggressive or being misinterpreted in the work world. While it is a legitimate fear, you must overcome it to get what you want and need.
It does not hurt to simply ask for more. Think of it like accommodations. The employer should make a good-faith effort to accommodate you if they can. The least they can do is consider alternatives. If the employer or program cannot do it—they will tell you no, and then the ball is in your court to decide whether that is a dealbreaker for you. If you are a desirable candidate, your prospective employer or even school program will want to hear what you say. Ideally, an employer should be open to negotiating with everyone. However, they will be more driven to do so based on their advantage. They will work harder to accommodate you based on the value they believe you bring to the organization. If an employer is turned off or reacts badly to your question, then consider that a RED FLAG. Proceed with caution.
Even as a student, you can negotiate financial aid packages. You can tell a school—"I'm receiving this much scholarship money from School B. I would really love to come to your school, but it would be difficult without X much scholarship money. Do you think you could match School B or get closer?" You can follow a similar process with multiple job or graduate school offers. Or maybe the school can't give you more financial aid, but they can guarantee you an on-campus job. Sometimes schools or jobs can provide you with other resources that are not money. Sometimes they can help you cover or defray other expenses. It's worth asking.
Negotiating takes additional time, energy, and thought. If you're already overwhelmed by the college or job process, that can feel like too much additional work. You just want to hurry up and get to the conclusion. I hear you. That's how I felt about my first job and when applying to jobs after finishing my Ph.D. program. An older, wiser Norrell knew that I couldn't just jump at the first offer for employment. I needed to be strategic. Think of it this way-negotiating early solves problems for you later. Frequently a position or job will come with a pay scale rather than a fixed amount; their first offer will be at the bottom of the pay scale. The pay scale is supposed to help account for applicants of varied abilities and experience. If you ask, they might easily give you their highest rate. That difference between the top and bottom of the pay scale can make all the difference as you try to move up.
In the professional world, your entry-level salary can set the tone for the rest of your career in a field or company. Unfortunately, many companies have stagnated when it comes to upward mobility. You want to advocate for the most competitive package for yourself. You should go for it; some entitled, underqualified applicants will ask for the moon and receive a few stars. So why shouldn't you? Always negotiate; start now.
Norrell Edwards
Norrell Edwards is a scholar, educator, and communications consultant for non-profit organizations. Her employment experience and research interests place her work at the nexus of global Black identity, cultural memory, and social justice. Norrell graduated with a BA in English Literature from Hunter’s College followed by a PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park in 20th and 21st Century Black Diaspora Literature.
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