My biggest client in Austin told me to 'just be more confident' after I asked for a raise.

We were at a coffee shop on South Congress, and I laid out my case for a higher rate after handling three of his projects solo. He leaned back, sipped his drink, and said the issue wasn't my work, it was that I didn't 'own the room' enough... like my skills were fine but my vibe was off. It felt like a cheap way to avoid paying more. Has anyone else gotten feedback that felt like a total cop-out?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_knight992mo ago

That's just a polite way to say they don't want to pay you more.

kaimartinez2mo ago

Remember when my friend got told to "dress for the job she wanted"? Like @nina_knight99 said, it's often just a polite brush-off. She had the same skills in a sweater as she did in a blazer, but the feedback let them avoid talking about money.

the_charlie1mo ago

Ugh that's so frustrating for your friend @kaimartinez. It's like they focus on the easiest thing to criticize instead of the real issue. I've seen that happen where they nitpick your clothes or how you talk just to avoid admitting the budget is the problem.