Negotiate Like Your Career Depends on It with Kimberly Bennett

In STEM, knowing your value is one thing—communicating it with confidence is another. In this replay from the AdaMarie Career Navigation Summit, Kimberly Bennett shares actionable strategies for self-advocacy and negotiation so you can secure what you deserve and set the tone for your career trajectory.

Kim, a lawyer, entrepreneur, and leader of a legal tech startup, opened her talk with a reminder: “Your story is what you have, what you always will have. It is something you own.” That story—the skills you’ve built, the impact you’ve made, the values you bring—is the foundation of every negotiation. Too often, she reminded attendees, qualified and talented professionals miss out on thousands of dollars and countless opportunities because they wait to be noticed instead of making the ask.

“When you want to negotiate, you must be your biggest advocate. No one else.”

Mindset Shifts for Negotiation

Kim emphasized that negotiation isn’t just about promotions or salary increases—it’s about making the ask, consistently, in both big and small moments. She encouraged participants to reframe negotiation as an act of advocacy for their own career rather than a confrontation.

Too often, we hesitate to ask because of self-doubt, fear of rejection, or a belief that our work will speak for itself. Kim’s message was clear: hoping someone notices isn’t a strategy. You must position yourself so you can’t be overlooked.

A Framework for Action

Kim shared a practical framework for approaching negotiations:

• Be your biggest advocate.

• Use silence strategically.

• Treat negotiation like a muscle.

Negotiation isn’t one big moment—it’s a muscle. Small asks build confidence. Confidence fuels bigger asks.

Kim closed with a challenge: think about one thing you didn’t ask for this year. Why didn’t you? What would it look like to go back and make that ask now, or to commit to asking for the next opportunity that comes?

Shifting your mindset, building your negotiation muscle, and embracing your story, will help you advocate for yourself and set the trajectory of your STEM career with clarity and power.

📺 Watch the replay inside the AdaMarie Professional Network to learn how to negotiate like your career depends on it.