How to ask what you are worth?

Asking is a hard thing. As sapiens we hesitate to ask. We hesitate to express what we really feel. There is fear of judgment, fear of looking bad in someone's eyes, fear of asking too much, fear of looking stupid, fear of hurting others etc.

We die in our fears. We hold back who we are because of these fears. The fear creeps in everywhere including our salary negotiations.

We don't ask what we are worth. We cringe. We hesitate. We sweat but we don't ask. We don't live our truth.

Here is quicky on how to deal with CTC (Cost to Company) discussions (It is iroinic that they say you are a cost and not an investment 🤔 - a discussion for another day)

In terms of principles, human beings chase scarcity. We take abundance for granted. It is just our nature. So if you want to win a negotiation, you need to prove that you are a scarce resource.

Here are a few ways you can show it.

1. Show your current CTC and your evolution so far. Growth trajectories say a lot about you.
2. Show offers you are considering and what parameters you are taking into account.
3. Show you are willing to be flexible and make it clear that money is not the primary factor and showcase all factors you are considering as a part of your weighted score.
4. Show you are aware of the industry benchmarks
5. Above all show you are not desperate. You are clear that you will wait till you find the right fit that will give you a great career path.

Show all the above with grace, politeness and clarity.

Hiring managers appreciate clarity. They will move the earth if they want you in their teams. Give them a case to argue for you.

If nothing you would have had an authentic conversation. You will get to know your worth a little more.

Ask. You will never know if you don't.

🥂 to authenticity!