Asking for a pay rise is notoriously awkward.
Perfecting the balance of not looking like Oliver Twist begging for more while also not coming across as demanding, is no easy feat.
Now throw economic uncertainty into the mix, and employees are treading lightly not to ruffle any feathers and put themselves at risk of being laid off.
Never has negotiating your salary been so hard, yet also so important as the cost of living rises.
Enter ChatGPT.
Moritz Kremb, a product manager who helps businesses leverage artificial intelligence with his newsletter, The Prompt Warrior, insists workers can use the large language model as their very own salary negotiation coach.
Here are his three steps to nailing your next pay raise using ChatGPT.
1. Enter the following prompt
Kremb advised on Twitter that workers enter the following prompt word for word, bar correcting your job title, into ChatPT:
I want to practice how to negotiate a higher salary. You will be my negotiation teacher.
- My current role is: (enter your current job title here)
- You will simulate a detailed scenario in which I have to engage in a negotiation.
- You will fill the role of the manager, I will fill the role of the employee.
- You will ask for my response in each step of the scenario and wait until you receive it.
- After getting my response, you will give me details of what the other party does and says.
- You must grade my response (A to F) and give me detailed feedback about what to do better using the science of negotiation.
- You will give me a harder scenario if I do well, and an easier one if I fail.
2. Respond as you would in real life
When Fortune entered Kremb’s prompt with the role set as a reporter, ChatGPT began by setting the scene:
“You are a reporter working for a media company, and you have been in your current role for two years. You believe that you have gained valuable experience and contributed significantly to the success of the company. You have decided to ask for a raise in your salary.”
It then proceeded to play the role of my manager.
This is where Kremb advises people to “respond like you would in real life” and to get feedback from the OpenAI platform on how good your response is.
Fortune tried pleading with ChatGPT, that “as the cost of living is increasing my salary doesn't quite stretch like it used to” which it generously graded a B while simultaneously offering constructive criticism.
“You missed an opportunity to emphasize your specific contributions and achievements in your role as a reporter, which could have strengthened your position further,” it said before continuing the role-play including suggesting how to respond.
3. Practice makes perfect
The more detail you feed ChatGPT with, the more detailed the chat with your imaginary manager will be.
Meanwhile the better your response, the more ChatGPT will challenge you and give you a harder scenario to really put your skills to the test.
“Keep practicing until you feel confident negotiating in real life,” Kremb added.
When Fortune tested the tool it didn’t always provide feedback (but a simple prompt like, “you forgot to rank my response” fixed that. Plus, if you don’t like the response it throws out, hitting regenerate will give you new ways to respond.
But if you don’t want to practice the art of negotiating with a bot, experts previously advised Fortune to enlist the help of a friend or mentor to build your confidence. Here are four more tips on how to bag that pay rise.
