My client looked at me a long time across the table in Starbucks and said, “I can negotiate for others, but not for myself. For whatever reason, talking about money really stresses me out”: she said.
This surprised me a great deal. Highly competent woman, educated and who had an admirable career path. Certainly well accomplished and in a critical sales role to boot!
“Why is that?” I asked.
“It makes me uncomfortable talking about money. I don’t want to leave any on the table and want the employer to do the right thing. Especially around review time. Certainly, they know all that I do for them.”
“Don’t ask. Don’t get. Money is not about luck. It’s about planning. In fact, raises and promotions are more about knowing your worth and being able to state it” I responded.
My client is certainly not alone in her feelings or thoughts. Many engineers feel this way. I’ve even known self-employed people who can’t ask for the cash. Some believe if they work hard, it will be earned and offered to them. This strategy often leaves people feeling confused and even bitter.
It’s not your boss’s job to hand out dollar bills. It is their job to monitor your progress and keep you focused on the business goals. Thinking you deserve something and waiting for it isn’t a strategy.
The next time you are looking for a raise or moving to a new job, try these four tactics:
- Educate yourself. Know your worth. Research your title. Look at job postings. What do they pay for this job? What are you being paid?
- Decide what you want to make. Do you want to make 10% more? Why? Did your skill set grow? Do you add more value to the organization?
- Consider your boss has a limited amount of budget. Know that if you go into your bosses office with a business case outlining what you do and why you are requesting more, chances are you’ll get it.
- Still have the jitters? Practice saying what you want in front of the mirror out loud. Saying it aloud over time will make you feel more comfortable and will defuse the emotions around money.
Money has nothing to do with emotions, nor does it have a work/reward tie. Money has no power in itself. The only power it has is what you assign to it. Ask any number of people and you will find they all have different ideas about money and how it should be used.
Perhaps reframe how you think about money and stop worrying about it completely. After all, it’s already been printed!
All we are trying to accomplish is getting more into your wallet.
Bio:
Elizabeth Lions is the Author of “I Quit! Working For You Isn’t Working For Me” and has a private career coaching practice helping engineers and IT professionals. For more about her work or to contact her directly, please visit www.elizabethlions.com