You Aren’t Asking Enough: How to get the money you want
Many people go through life unsatisfied with their employment. Oftentimes this isn’t as much because the tasks are especially stressful, but because the lack of money is. However, we tend to avoid one of the easiest ways to get what we want -by asking for it. Or, if we ask for it, we do so in an inefficient way. Don’t worry, we can fix this problem.
In 2010, the National Bureau of Economic Research conducted a study titled “The Power of Asking: How Communication Affects Selfishness, Empathy, and Altruism.” The purpose of the study was to determine how the interaction between givers and receivers influences altruism. One subject was given $10 to decide how to divide between their partner and themselves. The researchers used a system to decide which partner could speak.
“We found that any time the recipient spoke, giving increased — asking is powerful. But when only allocators could speak, choices were significantly more selfish than any other condition.”
What they found shouldn’t surprise you. The experiment concluded “…content of the messages from allocators significantly depended on the presence of an ‘ask.’” Basically, being silent about what you want isn’t going to get you anywhere. Plus, that was a test of altruism. You aren’t requesting favors -you’re asking for what you’re worth as a worker. The very least you can do is ask for what you want. If you don’t show the initiative to ask for something, people aren’t going to decide on their own to give it to you.
“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” -Author Nora Roberts
An important step to getting the money you want is know how much you want. Yes, the answer will be “as much as possible,” but that’s too vague. Determine a concrete minimum of what you need and make sure you don’t go below it. Think of it like an auction where you decide ahead of time how much you are willing to spend. Reverse it. How little are you willing for them to spend on you? Knowing what you expect will save you from flabbergastingly accepting an offer and later realizing the mediocrity of it.
It’s also important to keep what you’re asking fair and to back it up with reasoning. If you are slightly underpaid and barge into your boss’s office demanding triple your current salary, it probably isn’t going to go well. Recently, a side job of mine informed me my pay would be cut because they weren’t getting their typical rate from a new client. Prior to the cut, it was already the minimum I was willing to take for that task. Politely, I explained how that wouldn’t be enough to cover my travel expenses and time put into it. Hours later I was told I could go back to the original rate I was promised.
It’s true, you can’t convince every job to pay what you consider a reasonable rate. However, before you complain about it, you should at least try asking for something more fair. When you do so, make sure to have a wage in mind, make it similar to going rates, and provide reasoning. Employers just might say yes. Most importantly, you have to truly believe you deserve what you’re asking for. If you don’t believe you deserve more money, neither will the person paying you. Remember that you’re worth it.
How will you get the money you deserve?
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