When it comes to the price you charge or the compensation package you're negotiating, your 'ask' is based on the value you bring to the situation. This might be how you solve a problem, or how you help navigate a challenge, or reach a goal. Be sure to connect value to what it is that only you can bring to the table. Uniqueness can build value and create influence, which is a form of negotiating leverage.

Salary negotiations are important – both when you’re first offered a job, and also during performance reviews . It can be an uncomfortable, often nerve-wracking conversation to bring up, and may make you uneasy, especially during a job interview. But nonetheless, negotiating your salary and benefits package that meets your demands, and is on par with industry standards as well, is essential and extremely important. From an employer’s perspective, salary negotiations are part of the game, and are completely acceptable, so you should never shy away from it. In fact most companies are willing to negotiate and expect it but most employees shy away from it.

Salary negotiations are important because: You should be paid what you’re worth. You should be paid an amount that is at par with industry standards and what others pay. You should be fairly compensated for the work that you’ve been asked to do and the responsibilities that you’ll be given. The higher your starting salary, the more your annual raises. This is very important, as it determines the number of all your future salaries and raises! All employers expect it, and may actually put forth an offer that is lower than what they might really be willing to put on the table in order to check whether the person sitting across the table counters or not. It may allow you to get additional perks and benefits. If you don’t get the base salary that you were looking for, you may be able to negotiate some perks and benefits into your salary package instead. Worth a shot. Having a job may mean that you’re on your way to starting your own, independent life, or perhaps even get married and start a family. In other words, expenses that you’ll need money to pay for.