The key to salary negotiation is preparation. Don’t go into salary negotiations without knowing the facts. Be aware of your skills and all you have to offer a new employer. Once you’re confident with your skills, do a little research into your profession.
Research your market worth. Look on salary websites to figure out the basic range for your position. Also ask friends who may have similar positions as you. If you know the salary range for your job then you have an advantage in your salary negotiations. You will also know how high you can reasonably go.
Try not to talk about salary during the interview. Wait and gauge the interest the employer has in your background and personality. If the employer wants to proceed to the next level they will give you an offer.
Understand the employer’s view. An employer’s allegiance is to the company. They will try to find the best person to fill the position for the least amount of money. Unfortunately, this is how most employer’s think. They will usually state a salary range calculated for your position that will be in line with their budget.
If you feel like the offer is way below market rate, get out. Don’t waste time on employers that want to get a breadth of skills on the cheap. Look for good companies that understand the normal range of salaries. Once you find a company that’s willing to pay a normal salary for your position, you can push for a little more.
State your case. Yes employers have a budget. If you really want to negotiate for a higher salary you must state a very good case. Illustrate to the employer that your skills will be an asset to the company. Yes they will be paying more for your services up front, but in the long run you’ll be saving them money by working efficiently.
Don’t forget to balance the salary with the benefits. If an employer offers you a salary that is lower than expected, ask what benefits are being offered. Some companies pay the full amount of insurance premiums. Add that number to your salary. Does the company provide perks such as free lunch or a free gym membership? Add those costs to you salary.
If the benefits raise your salary to an acceptable level, think about the offer. Will you be happy in the position? Is there a chance for promotions or other career growth in the company? How is the working environment? Do other employees seem happy? These are all questions you need to ask when considering an offer. You don’t want to jump from job to job. Take the time to review your options before taking the big leap.
About the Author:
Review more industry related articles by Catherine Zandueta at CareersandEducation.com. Catherine Zandueta is a feature writer and often covers topics related to Campus Degree Programs and Career advice.
How to Negotiate your Salary
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Lourdes V. •great information thank you
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Sandra W. •
Thanks! :)
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Julie C. •
Awesome. Helpful and memory refreshment as well. Thanks
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Kim W. •
very helpful
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RAJESH V. •
helpful content
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Stephanie J. •
Thank you
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Zorayda S. •
Thank your
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Richard G. •
Thanks this was helpful.
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I like that. Thanks<3
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KIMBERLY T. •
Great advice
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Thanks this was very helpful !
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@Deloris E. - yes you are correct. Thank you.
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Deloris E. •
The paragraph says..... "Illustrate to the employer that you’re skills will....." Unfortunately, spell check will not catch everything. Shouldn't that be your skills, and not you're,,,,,???
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@Kimberly C thanks for your comment. The bottom line is that it's up to you to start the conversation. Doesn't appear that your company is going to bring it up and, since you haven't, they figure that you are content. Do you receive a yearly evaluation? That's a great time to bring it up. Or, just schedule an appointment with your supervisor and voice your concerns. They said that there was a "possibility" to advance but didn't promise you the advancement. Hopefully you have been keeping track of the improvements you have made as well as the tasks that you have performed throughout the year so that you can have that to present to your supervisor when you meet with him/her to discuss a raise. Everyone is different when it comes to this. Some employees just sit back and accept what they get - never ask for more or never question why they are not advancing. Me? Every three months I would bug my boss about a raise and becoming a permanent employee. It took awhile but I did finally get a raise this year. Perseverance pays off! Good luck!
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Kimberly C. •
What can an employee do when they came in at a certain rate but after working the job determine that the pay rate needs to be reassessed to match the workload? Also what can an employee do to revisit the conversation during the interview that there is the possibility to advance into a paralegal once an attorney is filing the position -- which has happened -- but my advance has not been re-discussed and it has been almost a year? We also had a staffing change since I started working with the firm from a 3 person team to a 2 person direct working together team and no increase of pay. How can I appropriately address this concern of re-balancing the rate of compensation to tasks? I have searched salary ranges in my area and am below median pay rate, how can I address this concern with my employer and reach my goal of a rate increase?
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Joyce M. •
Thanks .i needed you advice.
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Gregory A. •
Thanks I will keep that in mind
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JULIANA M. •
Thanks a lot. This is great and very Educating.
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Anita M. •
Thank you. I will take note of your advice.
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Luis V. •
Thanx your input was very helpful
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Manjeet B. •
Thank s a lot for suggestion me what I have
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Lynn H. •
Nice words of wisdom
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Thank you very informative.
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Deatra W. •
Great advice
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@Angela thanks for the comment. It's good that you are doing volunteer work as it looks good on your resume. But I understand - salary is needed. So before you volunteer for anything else, ask about getting paid or ask if the position could turn into a paid position. If not, then maybe you need to reconsider volunteering as much as you do. Keep job searching in the meantime. Put yourself out there. Network - ask friends and family if they know of a position in your field. And now - especially at this time of the year - retailers are begging for workers to assist them through the holidays so you could easily pick up a seasonal position - at least for a few months. Who knows - it could turn into a permanent position.
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