We’re back! The #ShifttheStory campaign is still ongoing and today, we’re excited to bring you a recap of the X space Zikoko held last week Tuesday, June 17, 2025. We had three powerful women making waves in their different industries share insights on the topic “Salary Talks: How to Negotiate your Worth as a Young Professional”.
Alongside our host, Tobiloba Ajibola, we had Temilola Otunla, a brand communications strategist; Sharon Ariyo-Adeoye, a digital storyteller and Christianah Ajayi, a talent acquisition specialist.
This conversation is a goldmine for young Nigerian women who are finally ready to stop settling for less. Our speakers discussed how to walk into salary negotiations with confidence, not fear. Negotiating your worth isn’t simply about getting paid, it’s really about owning your value in a world that will try its best to lowball you.
Here are four key takeaways from the space to help you succeed:
1. Know your Value and Let it Speak First
Christianah dropped a truth bomb when she said salary talks aren’t about desperation. It’s about an exchange of value. Understand this, you’re not begging anyone for a job, you’re offering skills that a company needs.
Temilola also stressed the importance of understanding what your role is and the work culture before even mentioning money. If the culture is off, no paycheck will fix it. Sharon also added that research is your best friend.
Go ahead to check platforms like Glassdoor or MySalaryScale to know what the market rate is like. So go girl! Walk into that interview ready to show what you’re worth, then let the money talk flow naturally.
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2. Ditch the Fear of Losing the Offer
Temilola spoke about the fear of asking for more and losing the job opportunity as a result. You wonder to yourself, ‘what if this is my only shot?’ Temilola advised us to let go of the “opportunity comes once” myth. If one door closes, two more will open so don’t settle for less because that will very quickly lead to a cycle of regret.
Christianah agreed with this point of view, sharing how she once took a job that paid 50% less after she was laid off. It was tough but it was an experience that taught her to prioritise long-term growth. So negotiate confidently because your value isn’t tied to one offer. If they’re not ready to pay what you’re worth, be ready to stand up!
3. Document your Wins to Back your Worth
Sharon and Christianah were all about keeping receipts. Sharon spoke about documenting your process to visualise your impact, whether you’re a freelancer or a 9-to-5er. It helps you see what you’re doing right. Christianah took this point further saying that your CV is an “accomplishment board”.
Use it to track your KPIs, OKRs and project wins so that you can always pull up facts and results when you’re negotiating. If you’re a social media manager that has taken a company’s socials from 1 to 100? Put that on your CV. You’ve led a team project successfully? That’s leadership capital. Pull out these big guns when you’re negotiating a salary.
4. Be Prepared!
The speakers tackled the narrative that young Nigerian women don’t negotiate well. Christianah wasn’t having it at all. She advised, don’t go emotional, go with facts and figures. Whether you’re pulling up industry standards or showcasing your impact, be prepared to prove your worth.
Temilola also shared a personal experience in which she rejected an offer because the company undervalued her expertise as a brand communications strategist. Sharon’s tip? Be vocal about your work, post your projects, share your process and build a reputation that makes you stand out in every room.
This space was an important reminder that negotiating your worth should not just be vibes It’s about being strategic. Ranging from knowing your market value to documenting your wins, these lessons are your blueprint to stop lowballing yourself. Just like Sharon put it, let people remember you in rooms your name should be mentioned in. So the next time you’re in an interview, remember these points, stand tall and ask for exactly what you deserve.
Still on HER Convos, this week, we’re discussing what bearing the weight of unpaid labour is like for career women.
Join the conversation with our amazing speakers on Twitter by 7pm WAT @Zikoko_mag. Set a reminder here. Be there!
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