Millennials don't earn less because the economy is inherently more unequal - we earn less because we are extremely poor at negotiating our own salary

One of the more recent cultural changes is the belief that companies are inherently more predatory and that we earn less money because the economy is inherently more unequal. While I certainly think that the wealthy have more power and influence than they should, I don't think this is the cause of the decrease in millennial salaries. The root is millennials themselves.<br><br>Growing up, millennials didn't learn how to negotiate properly. We grew up in a time when almost every kid got a trophy for participating and everyone was told they were special no matter what. If you asked for a raise, it was seen as presumptuous and entitled, and the appropriate response was to be happy that you have a job and to work harder in the hopes that one day, you'd get a promotion.<br><br>As a result, millennials are extremely poor at negotiating. And now that we're running companies, we're bringing that approach to hiring. Job descriptions are now extremely rigid and the salary is the salary and there's no room for negotiation. If your resume is good enough, they'll hire you for the market rate salary, but if you don't meet all the qualifications, you aren't worth the investment in time and training. The hiring process is almost always filled out through a robot, and the first thing you're asked for is your expected salary. It's perfectly fine to lowball in the counteroffer to a job offer, just as it's perfectly fine to negotiate your salary once you start working there and gain more experience.<br><br>Nothing changed in how business operates. Nothing changed in how companies treat their employees. What changed is how we view the process of hiring and salary negotiation, and we've managed to make it worse for ourselves in the process.