Avoid Round Numbers in Salary Negotiations for a Stronger Position
When you discuss your salary, the first number you mention is likely to be the anchor for all other links. Make this number stronger by avoiding round numbers.
As the advice site Barking Up the Wrong Tree explains, when you enter an even round number, it sounds like an approximation. The wider it is, the less likely the person you are negotiating with will take it as concretely as you do. However, if you add or subtract just a little, the number sounds much more deliberate:
The first number mentioned in salary negotiations is incredibly powerful. This becomes the standard by which counter offers are judged, and most people don’t want to stray too far from it.
You can make the anchor even more sticky without using round numbers. When someone says “$ 100,000,” it sounds like they haven’t given it much thought and will probably settle for less. But when someone says “$ 102,500,” it seems like they probably have a good reason to ask for that exact amount.
Of course, adding $ 500 arbitrarily here or there will never be as effective as researching what you’re worth. However, as long as you do your research and plan how much money you need to make a job viable, the more specific you can get, the better.
How to negotiate a salary: 5 Secrets Backed by Research | Bark on the wrong tree