
A Career Coach Shares The Best Way To Negotiate The Salary & Benefits You Deserve

As a hiring manager, I often see a substantial difference between men and women when negotiating salary and benefits. Sadly, women often sell themselves short in this area, especially young women.
In a survey, Linda Babcock of Carnegie Mellon University found that 57 percent of men negotiate salary and benefit job offers, and only 7 percent of women do the same.
If you're like most women, chances are you aren't charging as much as you're worth. Yet rightfully so, women are in uproar about fixing the gender pay gap. But we have to realize that one of the first steps in improving this begins in the job offer stage. Whether you are looking for a job or currently employed and hoping to negotiate your current salary and benefits, put a higher value on yourself, increase your confidence, and watch what happens.
I recently connected with Millennial Career Coach Jacqueline V. Twillie, who helps women prepare for performance reviews. Below she shares her thoughts on salary negotiation and what you should ask for at work.
What do you think are some of the things that women forget to ask for when negotiating?
Twillie: The top five benefits that women forget to ask for when negotiating salary are: additional vacation days, work from home benefits, mentorship, a signing bonus and equipment or software that will allow them to perform at the highest level.
What kind of negotiating tactics do you recommend?
Twillie: Prepare, Package, Practice, ASK!
- Prepare for each negotiation thoroughly a 5-10 minute Google search is not enough. I created a negotiation toolkit with strategy exercises to help women prepare to negotiate everything from a relocation package to a raise.
- Package wisely. Do not negotiate issue by issue. This is a rookie move and after the second ask, you can come off as unprepared or greedy. Group the things that are important to you together so that you increase your chance of getting what you want.
- Practice with a salary negotiation coach and aloud so that you get comfortable asking a higher salary.
- Now ASK! Once you get an opportunity do not let it go, if you have prepared and practiced you should be ready to ask. Do not be discouraged if your negotiation does not turn out exactly how you pictured it going in your head. No one comes out of the womb a negotiating pro.
So what happens when your negotiation attempt takes a sour turn and you're denied?
If denied, keep a positive attitude and ask have any exceptions been made. You will be surprised at what the response will be. After listening to the response intently then ask what will it take to revisit the topic and ask for a time frame. It is important at this phrase to find out exactly what they manager wants or needs to see from your performance for you to get what you ask for.
Some Millennial women are hesitant to negotiate salary because of their lack of experience. What are your thoughts on this?
I recently met a mother of a 16-year-old boy who applied for a summer job at a car wash. On his job application, he asked for 75 cents higher than what minimum wage. When the hiring manager asked him why he wanted 75 cents more, the 16-year-old boy said confidently that he has been washing cars for at least two years and because of his experience he should get paid more than someone with no experience.
I shared this story because millennial women must recognize the value they bring to their first job, regardless if they have direct work experience. They are many skills women will use in their first job that they gained from being in a student organization or working in their local community. Those skills shouldn't be undervalued, which is why I see a lot of Millennial [women] hesitate to negotiate because she does not realize her transferable skills.
Before you start a new job or go out for that next promotion, I recommend that you take a page from Twillie's book and Prepare, Package, Practice, & ASK. It is time for women to speak up and get what we want and deserve.
Watch Twillie's Career & Salary Negotiation Workshop below:
What has your experience been like negotiating salary and benefits? Share with us below!
- Salary Negotiation Tips (How to Get a Better Offer) ›
- This Is How You Negotiate a Higher Salary | Inc.com ›
- The Exact Words to Use When Negotiating Salary | On Careers | US ... ›
- How to Negotiate Salary: 37 Tips You Need to Know - The Muse ›
- 15 Ways to Negotiate a Higher Salary - NerdWallet ›
- Negotiating Salary 101: Tactics for Better Compensation | Women ... ›
- This Is How Job Seekers Negotiate For A Higher Salary ›
- How to Negotiate a Higher Salary After a New Job Offer (With Scripts) ›
- How To Negotiate A Higher Salary - Business Insider ›
- How To Negotiate A Higher Salary ›
Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image screenshot/ xoNecole YouTube
Egypt Sherrod & Mike Jackson On Love, Business, And Financial Transparency On The First Date
Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson have captivated us on their HGTV show, Married to Real Estate, and podcast Marriage and Money.
Now, they have teamed up with TurboTax to assist small business owners with tax and financial support. The couple met while working in radio, and now they own multiple businesses together. While working with your spouse can have its ups and downs, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Besides the fact that I get to work with the person I love doing what I love to do, right? There's the aspect of our daughters, seeing us work together as a unit and actually doing it successful,” Mike tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy