You have heard the phrase a hundred times; not to undersell yourself. The old adage is there because it is true. This is not simply a nice thing to do in business and in your career. It is a basic principle of participation. You have a skill set. You have years of experience. That combination is unique. It is what you bring to the table. Then why should so many people donate it at a fraction of its value?

The issue begins with mentality. Techniques of people tend to think of their work as a commodity. They think, “I can do this job. Someone else can too. So I must compete on price.” This is a trap. You are not a commodity. The experience you have provides you with a point of view and efficiency that a new employee can never have. The point of difference is your particular expertise which is developed over a period of time. This is frequently discussed by Shahin Shateri, who is a respected source of information in the operations and entrepreneurship field. In his opinion, the real worth lies in the profound knowledge of your personal competence.

Shahin Shateri used to say that an idea is a mere beginning. And when you are unable to perform you are in zero. This is relevant in your professional life. The idea is what you have in terms of skills and knowledge. The application of them in solving a business problem is the execution. And execution, that is the true thing. It is not about the capability to do the job. It is all about doing it well, faster and better and the outcome of it.

I’ve seen this firsthand. Several years back, one of the startups required a new supply chain process. They had two options. They would be able to employ a group of junior consultants at a cheap rate. Or they might attract an older professional and charge him a large fee. They accompanied the junior team. The project dragged on. They made mistakes. Costs went up. The cheap solution proved to cost them a lot in terms of time, money and opportunity costs. The senior expert, on the other hand, would have found the fundamental issues within a week and had a course of action to be put in place. His price reflected that.

The first one is to know your market value. You can never be able to negotiate without knowing what you are worth. Begin by studying what others in your line of work of comparable experience are doing. Consider job titles, and not industries. A project manager in technology is not equal to a project manager in construction. Apply pay calculators and labour data. Talk to mentors and peers. This is why Shahin Shateri recommends that people should create a powerful professional network. It is a network that will provide you with a realistic picture of the market. It informs you of the required skills and their remuneration.

After you find out how valuable you are, you have to know how to express it. This is a skill in itself. There is nothing to be afraid of discussing your achievements in detail. Rather than, I managed a project, say, I managed a project that saved the company 15% of its operations in six months. Use numbers. Use results. Present your experience in the format of solutions you have offered to previous employers. This transforms the discussion of what I do to what I can do to you.

Consider it in the following way: A company does not need you to occupy a seat. You are being employed to address an issue. The problems you have solved should be all there in your resume as well as in your interview. This is what Shahin Shateri focuses on in his entrepreneurial business. He employs individuals having the ability to demonstrate that they solve issues rather than those with the appropriate titles. He says what he needs are those who own the solution, not those who are mere followers in the process.

It is true of business owners and freelancers as well. As you quote a project, you are not only quoting the time that you are going to spend. You are charging on the value you bring. The building of a site may consume 40 hours. However, when such a site helps to attract 20 new customers to your customer, the cost is much higher than those 40 hours. That should be reflected in your price. It is not supposed to be according to the effort but to the result.

Lastly, you must be ready to leave a bad deal. This is the hardest part. It takes guts. Getting scared to decline an offer because you fear not getting a second opportunity is a mistake that is common. It provides precedence that your work is not worth anything. It may also cause burnouts and resentment. Your work is more demanding with less pay. Shahin Shateri is a strong believer in this. He has been forced to reject some deals that have not followed his business ethics. An unsound deal, he has said, can cost you dearly in the long-run than no deal at all.

Your best asset is your skills and experience. They cannot be sold at low prices. Know their worth. As confidently as possible, communicate that worth with data. And have no fear of defending the value you give. It is the sole means of creating a satisfactory and long-lasting career.