Talk Money, Get Paid

Strong Feelings

Talking about money is uncomfortable for lots of people—including us! But way too many of us aren’t getting paid what we deserve, and if we want to change that, then we all need to start speaking up—for ourselves, for each other, and for a more equitable financial future.

So join us for this deep dive into all things work money: how to ask for a raise, negotiate an offer, and deal with all the weird feels that come up along the way. To help us out, we’ve got clips from our first Collective Strength event, where we were joined by one of our most fave people ever: author and consultant Karen McGrane.

Plus, we asked y’all to tell us what advice you’d give your younger selves about salaries and negotiation, and a bunch of you answered! So we have tips and stories from folks at lots of career stages—all designed to help you feel more prepared to go get paid.

The more you do it, the less emotional it becomes, and the more it just becomes a very transactional kind of thing. The only way that you get to that place is by committing to yourself that you will negotiate every offer that you get... Every time you get a salary offer, ask for $5,000 more. Period. Every single time. And it can be more than that. Maybe you are making more money than that and it’s time for you to ask for $10,000 more or $20,000 more—I know somebody who once negotiated $100,000 more! Your ability to do that, though, starts with you being willing to ask for $5,000 more.
—Karen McGrane, managing partner, Bond Art + Science

If you put some of this advice to the test, we’d love to hear how it goes! Leave us a message at (267) 225–5923, send an email, or find us on Twitter!

We chat about:

• That time Sara took on more and more work without a promotion—and ended up way behind financially.
• What we learned—and didn’t learn—about salaries growing up.
• Why negotiating your salary over the phone is the way to go, even if email feels easier.
• Why you should wait as long as possible to talk salary when you’re interviewing for a job.
• The “PITA quotient”: Remember to consider what a job will take from you then set your rate appropriately.
• Why Karen thinks you should always ask for at least $5,000 more in a salary negotiation (or, hell, maybe $100,000 more).
• How to “lovingly plot revenge” when you find out your salary is too low.
• Sorting out all the awkward feelings that come along with money talk.

Plus: What we’re doing on our summer vacation, big love to Harvest for supporting us all year, and fuck yeah to already hearing a money success story from a Collective Strength attendee!

In this episode:

• Karen McGrane
• Lauren Isaacson
• Kathryn Meisner
• Cyd Harrell
• Malaika Carpenter
• Sophie Shepherd
• Eugenié George
• Lara Hogan
• Susan Poulton
• Lynne Polischuik