The $100K Mistake You Might Be Making — By Not Negotiating Your Salary

You got the offer. You’re excited. You want to say yes. But you hesitate to ask for more… and just like that, you could be walking away from $100,000 or more over the course of your career.

At Access Academy, we teach women+ to negotiate with clarity and confidence — because research shows that not negotiating is one of the costliest mistakes you can make.

What Skipping the Negotiation Could Cost You

Let’s break it down:

• Women are less likely to negotiate than men — and when they do, they ask for less. (Harvard Business Review)

• Only 37% of people always negotiate their salaries, while 18% never do at all. (CareerBuilder)

• Failing to negotiate your first job offer can cost you over $500,000 over your lifetime. (Linda Babcock, Women Don’t Ask)

Even a modest $5,000 raise at the start of your career — if invested or compounded — can grow exponentially over time.

Real Talk: Why People Don’t Negotiate

• “I don’t want to seem ungrateful.”

• “What if they rescind the offer?”

• “I’m lucky just to have this job.”

We get it….negotiating can feel scary. But here’s the truth: companies expect it. And when you don’t ask, you signal that you might undervalue yourself — even if that’s not how you feel inside.

What Happens When You Do Negotiate

• You show confidence and self-awareness

• You often get more (or at least meet in the middle)

• You start your role feeling empowered, not taken for granted

• You set a precedent for future raises and promotions

Negotiation isn’t confrontation. It’s a conversation.

Access Academy’s Negotiation Module Teaches You:

• What to say (and what not to say)

• How to prepare for your negotiations

• How to use market data and thoughtful questions to make a strong case

• How to negotiate pay, PTO, title, and flexibility — not just salary

We don’t just want you to land the job. We want you to own your worth once you do.

Final Thought

If you never negotiate, you're not just leaving money on the table — you're leaving behind confidence, opportunity, and long-term value.

→ Learn how to negotiate like a pro. Access Academy’s Negotiation Module is just $89.

www.myaccessacademy.com