According to one survey, about 70% of managers expect candidates to negotiate a salary with them.
If you’re going to accept a promotion or a new job offer, you might want to consider negotiating a salary with your manager, especially if they’re expecting it.
But how do you get the salary that you want? Keep reading to find out some salary negotiation tips that can help you out!
- Talk About it Early On
You shouldn’t wait until you’re offered a job to start talking about the salary, and the interviewing manager shouldn’t wait either. You should be talking about it throughout the whole interviewing process.
You may not need to be discussing specific numbers, but it shouldn’t be the elephant in the room either. This will help you both realize if you have the same idea about salary. If you don’t, you can both avoid wasting each other’s time.
Just because you talk about it early doesn’t mean that it has to be set in stone. It can change throughout the interviewing process, but having it out on the table can take some pressure and anxiety off of you.
- Know What You’re Worth
Before you go into the interview, you should figure out to some degree what you think you should be paid. If you evaluated yourself honestly, how much do you think your services are worth?
If you’re going to negotiate for a higher salary, you have to be able to justify it and put a number on it.
You can start by doing some research on what other jobs are paid. You can find similar positions on Glassdoor or Payscale or just by talking to other people. You should talk to both men and women in case there is a gender pay gap in your field.
After you’ve talked to them, you can start to evaluate what you can bring to the table. For example, you should consider where you live. If you live in New York City versus Kansas City, you can request a higher salary because of the cost of living.
Using a salary calculator can figure out how much you need to afford basic living costs in your area.
You should also consider how much experience you have in the field already. If you’re new to it, you probably won’t be able to get as high of a salary as someone who has five years of experience.
Your level of education will also put you in a different pay bracket. If you only have an associate’s degree, you won’t be able to get paid the same amount as someone who has a Ph.D.
Lastly, if you have any special skills or certifications, you could try and use that as a marketing point. If it’s something that’s specific or niche to your industry, you could be more desirable to potential employers.
- Be Likable
This might sound obvious, but it’s true. If you’re not likable, people aren’t going to fight to hire you or try and get you a higher salary.
It also makes it easier for you to try and negotiate. If you ask in a polite way, they’re more likely to try and grant your request rather than just automatically turn you down.
Besides, negotiating can be an awkward thing in some situations. Make it a little bit more bearable by being polite about it and not coming across as greedy.
- Bring Some Talking Points
You might be nervous at first, but preparing some talking points before the meeting can really help out.
Write down why you think you deserve a higher salary and list the points that you mentioned above. You can also write down some of the highlights of your previous careers.
Try and include exact numbers when possible. For example, you can say how much revenue you brought in for a company or how many awards or recognitions you received.
Having all of these things ready to talk about can help put you at ease but also help to show the hiring manager that you’re serious about the job.
- Go High
When you originally ask them for a range, make sure you pick the highest possible salary range first. That way you can negotiate down to what you actually want.
Both of you will feel like you really got what you wanted, and it’ll give you more wiggle room.
If you start off with the salary you actually want, you’re likely going to end up agreeing to less than you really wanted.
- Be Confident
When you negotiate, make sure that you’re confident. If you’re not confident in yourself and your own abilities, you’ll have a difficult time convincing your potential employer that you’re worthy of a higher salary.
Having confidence will also show them that since you value yourself so highly, they should as well.
However, there is a fine line between being confident and being arrogant, so make sure that you walk that carefully. Be professional when you talk about your accomplishments and achievements, and don’t go overboard with details unless they ask for more.
Discover More Salary Negotiation Tips
These are only a few salary negotiation tips out there, but there are many more that you can try if you don’t succeed the first time.
We know that this can be a scary and stressful process, especially if you’re not a confrontational person. However, that’s why we’re here to help you!
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