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It seems appropriate that negotiation is called an “art” because, like art, it can feel incredibly subjective sometimes. It’s difficult to know what someone is going to respond to, and the words and tactics that activate the minds of some won’t do much for others. But, negotiation is an art form worth learning. You’ll need it so many times in life, like when you’re buying a car, buying a home, or simply buying a purse at an outdoor market where prices are fluid. You even negotiate at times you don’t know you’re doing it, like when dealing with a customer service representative.
If you’re employed at a company, want to be employed at a company, or have your own business, you’ll find yourself negotiating quite a bit. And you’ll have to get comfortable with it because, otherwise, you’ll get trampled over. People who get what they want aren’t afraid to ruffle feathers during the negotiation process. In fact, they know that people respect them for doing so.
We spoke with two career and business coaches about the top negotiation mistakes they see women make in select critical situations. Ariel Lopez (@ArielLopez_zo) is the Founder and CEO of Knac, a hiring platform that helps companies screen, manage, and give feedback to applicants in their pipeline. Dr. Keita Joy (@TheDrKeitaJoy) is a consultant, speaker, and business coach who works with individuals on maximizing their potential and teaches corporations about diversity and inclusion. Here’s what they told us.
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What should women know about salary negotiations?
Lopez: “Always give a range. Never give a direct number. As soon as you give a number, you basically pigeon hole yourself into that number and you’re cutting yourself off from the opportunity of getting an increase. On average aim for a 10 to 20 percent of a bump on your next move… Let’s say you’re making 65K now. Your goal is to be making 75. The range you want to give is 80 to 85.”
