I met Jim Hopkinson at SXSW last March, with both of us speaking up during a workshop we attended, and then lingering post-workshop to meet/talk/connect with others. He told me about a book he wrote that was about to come out on the Kindle – followed by the paperback a few months later – called Salary Tutor. An entire book devoted to negotiations and how to get the most money for your position (without pulling it out of your butt), I recommended it to a client who was going for a final round of interviews and she gave it two thumbs up. With that positive review, I was excited to get my own copy and subsequently tore through it in just a few short subway rides. The biggest mind-blower? A 1% increase in salary at the start of your career (age 21) will lead to extra $1 million by the time you retire (age 65). If that doesn’t show the importance of charging what you’re worth no matter your age/position, I don’t know what does!

I knew that Jim and I absolutely speak the same language when he wrote that “the balance of power shifts from me trying to get the job to them making sure they got me” once the company expresses an interest in hiring him. I feel the same whenever I speak to prospective clients, as it’s not about “making the sale” as much as it is ensuring that they know what they’d be getting into should they decide to work with me. If you’d allow me to go off on a tangent a bit, it absolutely leads itself to one of the lessons I learned as an actor – which took me years to really sink in – is that the Casting Director wants you to be right for the part just as much (or not more than!) as you wanna be right for the part. That’s not to say to give the HR/prospective client/Casting Director whatever they want (or what you think they want), but it’s about putting yourself out there as you and allowing them to see that it’s The Right Fit. Once they’re sure of your value, you’ll have the upper hand and will be able to lead the negotiations.

“But Michelle,” I hear you say/whine/cry, “I’m not aggressive. I hate negotiating! I never know what to say, and always worry that the offer will be rescinded if I don’t just take what they offer.” And to that I say, “I hear you loud & clear!” And so did Jim. He not only gives you scripts so that you can know exactly what to say (and believe it, to boot!), but he shows you what you need to do to back it up, offering proof of not only the value of your work, but preparing An IRS (Industry Research of Salaries) Document to demonstrate it. It’s not as scary as it sounds! In fact, it’s great for right-brainers, as it’s a visual representation of what you’re asking for. Look:

While the book’s a breeze to get through, you will have to put some time/energy/attention into the research part of things, as well as practicing the scripts and making your own IRS documents. Thankfully, Jim’s there with tons of tips, tricks and links to help you along, and I’m positive that if you do what he says, you’ll be able to answer his two most important questions: (1) Was I prepared? and (2) Did I do everything I could?

Oh! And for us freelancers/entrepreneurs, there’s a whole section that speaks on increasing your client rate, finding the right projects, getting paid on time, and other goodness. It absolutely helped me re-evaluate what I’m charging/offering, and also got my revved up to deal with the numbers in my business, which happens super rarely.

Bottom Line: Do yourself a favor and pick up Salary Tutor. All you have to lose is, oh, $1m.

P.S. If Jim’s name sounds familiar, it might be because you heard me pimpin out  my appearance on The Hopkinson Report this spring. Jim and I spoke about The Creative Career Crisis, and we had much fun.

P.P.S. Have any questions for Jim regarding any salary/pricing challenges you’re having? Leave ‘em in the comments & I have a feeling I can strong-arm him into answering ‘em!

Tags: Rousing Reviews, Vocal Videos

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