Psychology can help to make your life better in numerous ways, and even to improve your financial well-being.
Most employees dream about a higher salary but shy away from negotiating with a boss. Some of them find it challenging to choose the right words to start a talk, and others feel ashamed of asking about money. However, there is nothing wrong to request a pay raise, if you are a worthy employee.
If you want the negotiation process go smoothly, you should use some psychological tricks. Here are five practical ways of how to apply psychology to increase your income.
Get benefits from the chameleon effect
If you want to increase your chances to win the negotiation, you should be like a chameleon. Try to copy the behavior of your opponent. For instance, if your boss strokes his chin or raises his eyebrows, just do the same.
Believe you or not but mimicking simple gestures, postures, and mannerisms you make your employer more open to conversation. Do you wonder how does it work? Scientists say that the human brain identifies such behavior as a specific signal, which makes a person trust a “chameleon” and listen to him more attentively.
Apply the concept of warmth
Jessica Fender, the CMO for Onlinewritersrating shares from her personal experience: “If you offer your employer a hot cup of caramel latte, you will double your chances to get an increase in salary. And the sense of this trick is not about surprising your boss with his favorite drink.”
The point is that you can physically influence the sensory receptors of your opponent simply by using a hot mug. Feeling the warmth and comfort, your boss will perceive you as a non-threatening, selfless and loyal employee. So, he will find your reasoning even more convincing than it is indeed.
And keep in mind that this psychological trick may have a reverse effect. If you decide to surprise your chief with an iced drink, it will be more likely that you will get a refusal.
Set the anchor
When it comes to discussion of a pay raise, you should be the first, who open the bidding. It will help you to set the right tone and grab control of the negotiation.
And remember that your first bid should be higher than the raise you expect to get. If you want to earn $5,000 a month, you should ask for $5,200.
Arnie Singh, a resume writer at Flashessay.com adds: “It’s highly likely that your boss will not pay you as much as you demand. Trying to find a compromise, he will try to lower your bid and offer you a salary, which you expect.”
Choose the right moment
If you want to negotiate a higher salary, you should conduct a little research. You should find out on which day of the week and which time of the day your boss tends to be in a good mood.
“Obviously, if you try to talk to your boss on Monday morning, you will double your chances to get rejected. But if you start a conversation at the moment, when your opponent is happy, you will significantly increase your chances to get what you want,” explains Khloe Gross, a career counselor at Resumes Expert.
Overcome low self-esteem
Well, if you are a super shy person with low self-esteem, it’s unlikely that you will ever dare to ask for a pay raise. But if you learn some psychological tricks, you will able to boost your self-confidence and to improve your life.
In other words, if you want to prepare yourself for a serious talk with your boss, you should change your sense of identity first. When you are able to judge your worth as an employee adequately, you will find it easy to convince your employer that it’s time for a pay raise.
If you want to take your negotiating skills to the next level, you should learn at least a few basic psychological tricks. Even though they seem to be funny or weird, they work. Apply these tricks wisely, and you will get an increase in salary.
