Hello!
I’m in my early 20s, just graduating from a graduate program. I’ve been applying for part-time jobs and internships at startups, as I want to start a businesses but currently want a part time position, as I’m co-producing a show. I’ve had ~8 interviews in the last two weeks, but there is one interview I NAILED and LOVE the startup. The guy only has 2 paid positions out of ~400 applicants and I told him I’m in for the competition.

He asked after my interview how much I wanted to get paid and I MADE THE MISTAKE OF SAYING ONLY RENT. WHAT. ugh. Okay. The past is the past. We have a follow-up call tomorrow. I want to be honest with him and admit that I didn’t know how to ask for the value that I will create. I had turned down a 46-hour position in January.

How do I ask this guy for a 28-hour internship? All kinds of thoughts are coming to my head as I think about that.

Thoughts like:

He will change his mind about me
He will think I’m greedy
He will just take the next intern.

I know I can help and I believe he knows it too. I want to be realistic in the sense of how much he should pay me for an internship but I’m also overqualified with a master’s degree and have already given many suggestions and 8 ideas on how to start. I want to ask for my actual value out of respect for me. How do I do it without seeming greedy or him changing his mind?

Thank you!!!