Avoid This Trap: The Unwritten Rule of Salary Negotiation Too Many High-Achieving Folks Overlook

Cindy Gallop's Game-Changing Advice

Cindy Gallop famously says, "The amount you ask for in a salary negotiation is the highest amount you can say out loud without actually bursting out laughing.”

This morning, I repeated that advice to a coaching client—a high-achieving attorney on the verge of receiving a new job offer.

Her instinct? To ask for the same pay she’s making now.

As someone who’s coached hundreds of brilliant, high-achieving folks, I knew this was a big mistake.

The Trap: Anchoring to Your Current Salary

Many women unknowingly limit their earning potential by anchoring their next job offer to their current pay. This happens because:

• Gender socialization makes women hesitant to ask for more.
• They fear appearing greedy or difficult.
• They feel relief at getting an offer at all, instead of seeing it as a starting point for negotiation.

I asked my client, “What if they offer you more than your current salary?”

She beamed.

Then I said, “I want you to temper your excitement. Imagine there’s 10% more on the table—simply if you ask for it.”

The Unwritten Rule: There’s Always Room for More

Having worked in HR and consulted with hiring experts, I know this: Salary offers are negotiable.

According to a Robert Half survey, 70%+ hiring managers expect candidates to negotiate.

There’s always more in the budget—but only if you ask.

Too often, when candidates receive an offer that’s already higher than their current pay, they get excited and say yes—without realizing they could ask for even more.

The 3-Step Strategy We Used in Coaching

In our session, my client and I took these steps:

1. Break down total compensation. We analyzed her current all-in pay and the potential offer. We listed the base salary, bonus, health plan, 401k match, professional development budget, and the specifics of the job that contributed to either compensation or career growth.
2. Set a higher target. I guided my client to apply Cindy Gallop’s rule—asking for the highest number she could say without laughing.
3. Prepare a confident script. We framed her ask around the value she brings, not as a personal favor.

Why This Matters

Even if you don’t feel responsible for closing the gender pay gap, you do want to ensure your future job satisfaction.

Too many women realize months into a new job that:

• A colleague—sometimes a level below and often male—is making tens of thousands more.
• That colleague isn’t necessarily more skilled or carrying more responsibility.
• Resentment builds, leading to frustration, burnout, and the urge to quit.

To put things into perspective, a 10% increase in base pay is a drop in the bucket for the company, and a small incremental increase in your biweekly paycheck. (See below for a hypothetical breakdown.)

Asking might feel awkward in the moment, but it protects your future satisfaction.

I told my client, "If it feels awkward, you're doing it right."

Join My Free Salary Negotiation Workshop

I’ll be breaking all of this down in my workshop on Friday—and I want as many women as possible to benefit from it.

Click here to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ofvcKWbtQz2uckj0aUPG8g

?? It’s totally free. No catch.

?? All I ask: Share this invite with women in your network who need this knowledge.

Because when women negotiate, everyone wins.

P.S. I asked ChatGPT to help me with this calculation below. Let's say you ask for an additional $10K in your salary and you get paid in biweekly paychecks. Post-tax and other relevant deductions, what would your net take-home pay increase look like per paycheck?

If the employee is receiving an extra $10,000 spread across biweekly paychecks, let's break it down step by step:

Step 1: Determine the Increase Per Paycheck

• A standard year has 26 biweekly pay periods.
• $10,000 ÷ 26 = $384.62 increase per paycheck (pre-tax).

Step 2: Apply Taxes

Assuming:

• 20% Federal Income Tax
• 7.65% FICA (Social Security + Medicare)
• 5% State & Local Taxes (estimate, varies by state)

Total estimated tax rate: 32.65%

• Taxes withheld: $384.62 × 32.65% ≈ $125.60

Step 3: Net Take-Home Pay Increase Per Paycheck

• $384.62 - $125.60 = $259 (net increase per paycheck)

So, the employee would see about $259 more per biweekly paycheck after taxes. ??