Own Your Career

Chapter 5The Art of Negotiation

In my first job post-grad, it never occurred to me to negotiate my salary. I was just happy to have landed a job that I was moderately excited about! In fact, when I actually received the job offer via email, I was surprised to see so much information regarding 401(k)s, pensions, health insurance, stock options, and more.

It felt like gibberish to me. I remember reading the words and having no idea what they actually meant, what mattered to me, and how to decide what to enroll in. Compensation packages aren't something we are taught in school, and somehow when we finally land a job offer, it's expected that we just know what to do.

My lack of understanding of my compensation resulted in a lag of my earning potential. I knew that I was enrolled in the 401(k), so I selected my percentage and moved on. I was 22 at the time and lucky enough to be able to stay on my parents' insurance plan, so I didn't even bother to look at the insurance options. Beyond the basics, I was offered a pension, which I ignored because I had no idea what that was, and stock options, which I did not exercise because they confused me.

Even writing that out is embarrassing, but unfortunately, it's the norm with young adults who are thrown to the wolves in corporate America without the necessary tools needed to advocate for themselves and take advantage of the benefits that are offered to them.

As I began the process of finding my second job, my focus was salary and industry. ...