January 18, 2017 ASK PATRICE . . . When It Comes to Negotiating a Higher Salary, Even with Less Than 5-7 Years of Experience.

Each month we are going to feature a question from a Living on Purpose Project (LOPP) fan or follower and provide “straight no chaser” career advice from our CEO and Founder, Patrice Anderson. If you have a career-related question you’d like to ask, please comment on social media or directly email us atlivingonpurposeproject@gmail.com

“I have almost five years of experience, and less than two in my desired field. I have been offered a position at a mid-size company doing what I like but the salary is the same as my current position at a larger firm. How can I negotiate a higher salary?”

Negotiating is something I am lucky to have learned, literally from some of the best in the business. Here are secrets to asking for a higher salary and other forms of compensation. Following them will take your negotiation skills from shaky to successful in no time:

1. Wear your poker face: Letting others know what you’re thinking is the kiss of death when it comes to any negotiation. So don’t do it. Play it cool, and act as if you have MANY options and have done this before. Even if this is your first job offer in 2 years or you don’t have a clue about negotiation – act as if.

2. Six degrees of separation: Gather as much intelligence on the key players as you can. Who are the decision makers? How long have they been with the organization?
Know their successes and weaknesses, as well as who they have worked and gone to school with. Effective name dropping is effective. Create and start to cultivate a connection through shared associates and experiences. Your ultimate goal is to motivate them to believing that you are the candidate they MUST have.

3. Charm to disarm: My grandmother always told me – “you catch more bees with honey than you do with _ _ _ _.” Be pleasant and honest. People will know when you are overdoing it – so start with basic niceties like their appearance or a good point they made. Then move up to say and show the appropriate amount of deference and your respect. You can kill any deal simply by rude behavior and poor business etiquette

4. Demonstrate and prove others are being paid more: Talk in a non-threatening way about how the position you are considering is extremely similar or exact to another in the company/field/industry. A position that is paid at a higher salary. Something like “the positon you describe sounds more like (INSERT ONE LEVEL HIGHER) and detail all that you are being expected to do. Pay note to supervising even an intern. If it’s an assistant positon say it sounds like a “coordinator.” If they call it a manager say it sounds like a senior manager or director.

Your goal is to point to other people doing the same job for more money. If you need to build a better case – highlight that you know the previous person to hold that position had fewer responsibilities. And, to seal the deal offer to take on another project, area or department to clearly demonstrate the significant increase in job responsibilities – and to give them leeway to adjust the salary.

5. Highlight your negatives: After explaining your sincere interest and aptitude to do the job at hand – mention the “down side” for you. Will your commute time/expense double? Are you leaving a more well-known or prestigious brand or company? Share as they say, the “facts.”

Then remind them of what impressed them about you in the interview or prior meeting and share three (3) strong industry and/or career accomplishments. Reinforce this “negative” message with your desire to be a part of their team.

6. Ask rhetorical questions: People are more likely to be flexible and concede when they don’t feel confronted. Making your comments (and even reservations) into rhetorical questions is a great way to prevent things from going “left” (at best) or contentious (at worst).

Saying something like, “I really want the positon but I wish that there was some way I could not have the added expense of commuting?” or “The position is great but it really sounds much like an Account Executive, not a Coordinator, which I know has a much higher salary?

7. Be direct about the extras: Depending on the company, you should ask about signing bonus, performance based stock options, assistance with relocation or moving costs, and increased transportation. These pay outs may not come in lump sum, one-time payment but – money is money.

Everything in life is negotiable and everything in life requires some form of negotiation. Stop limiting your career options by lacking knowledge and experience in negotiating with people at all levels.

This week start by practicing some of these tips, reading more about the topic, and enlisting a friend to role-play the part of your future employer.

DJ Khaled - All I Do Is Win Feat. Ludacris, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg & T-Pain from DAYO HAREWOOD on Vimeo.

Seven Simple Steps to Create a Successful Business by Meeting an Untapped Need

In celebration of Women’s History month, here are seven amazing female entrepreneurs whose practical solutions to everyday “problems” have enabled them to create successful ventures.

Hopefully their stories might inspire you to pursue your own path, fill some untapped need, and one day make “history” yourself.

Jessica Billingsley - MJ Freeway

Jessica Billingsley saw free trade of cannabis as good for the economy and the right thing for people needing medical access. After investing in one of Boulder, CO’s first dispensaries and joining forces with local web developer Amy Poinsett, she decided to fill that niche herself, creating MJ Freeway. The first cannabis-specific software company to enter the market, MJ Freeway includes tracking and reporting systems that help businesses account for products at every stage of production and sales.

Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa

Chef Ina Garten was a “military wife” who first began cooking to pass the time and as an outlet to elevate stress. Soon, she became famous for hosting dinner parties for family and friends. She used the money she had saved from flipping houses to purchase the Barefoot Contessa Specialty Foods Store in the Hamptons. This led to her Barefoot Contessa cook books and eventually a show on Food Network.

Alexa Hirschfeld - Paperless Post

When Alexa agreed to help her brother (frustrated by the current limited options) create a way to send formal invitations online – Paperless Post was born. They wanted to, “bring back the beauty of receiving and sending mail by combining it with the modern-day efficiency of the web.” They succeeded and created a beautiful alternative to Evite.

Payal Kadakia - Class Pass

Payal Kadakia tried unsuccessfully to find a ballet class in New York City that she could attend. In that moment, she realized that others must be having similar challenges staying connected to their hobbies and passions. She soon created ClassPass, a startup that gives customers access to thousands of boutique fitness classes in their area for a monthly fee. Her company has booked more than 7 million fitness class reservations at gyms and studios across the U.S., Canada, and the UK over the past two years.

Sheila Liorio Marcelo - Care.com

Immigrant Sheila Liorio Marcelo needed to find childcare options while attending school, raising two children, and caring for her ill father. Today Care.com connects 17.8 members (and growing) in 16 countries with the qualified care givers.

Michelle Phan - Ipsy

Michelle Phan’s You Tube makeup demonstrations and tutorials made her a popular star and Vlogger. After expanding her popularity and “brand” to different social media platforms, she established deals with large corporations like L’Oreal where she featured their products in her tutorials. Her most recent spin off project, Ipsy, is a monthly box service (similar to Birchbox) that provides customers with samples of different beauty products. Ipsy, however, offers heavy discounts “full size” product purchases.

Anne Wojcicki - 23andMe

Biologist and Co-Founder/CEO of 23andMe, graduated from Yale and worked on the business side of healthcare as a consultant and investment analyst. Anne had a passion to help others change the way they approached health care, while also knowing the value of genetic data to treat and prevent disease. She’s built 23andMe, a genomics company that produces personal genetic testing kits. Her company has one of the world’s largest DNA databases, with over 1million consumers worldwide.

Today think of one thing that you could offer to each of these seven companies. Consider everything from applying for a applying for a position, pitching them as a potential client, referring a friend and sharing their info with others, or simply or volunteering your time and talent in some way.