Whilst both you and a prospective employer might be keen to agree salary at interview, don't bring it up. Usually before you apply for any job there will be a guide to what salary is on offer. If you're asked what salary is on offer simply state "The practical details can be worked out at a later date"
Not discussing salary at interview will improve their respect for you as it gives the impression that salary is less important than the role itself, even if it isn't. You interviewers will be left with a positive impression of you and are more likely to offer a good salary because of it.
2. Always turn down the first salary offer
This needs to be done diplomatically. When they call you and make a salary offer, thank them for the call and stress how excited you are by the prospect of working for them, but explain that you need to think it over. Call them back the following morning and explain that whilst you like the job and the organisation the salary offered was a little lower than expected. Tell them that if they make a final improved offer that you will take the job.
This works like a charm and I've seen people get up to $4,000 more on their basic salary for politely turning down the first salary offer made to them.
3. Speak to the decision maker
Most large companies have Human Resource departments that deal with recruitment and make job offers. They are usually rigid salary bands that they will stick to when making you an offer, but these people have little input on organisational affairs and don't know your true potential value to the organisation.
If you get an offer you are disappointed with and the HR department refuses to increase it then go to the real decision maker, the hiring manager. Usually the hiring manager, whom you will inevitably work for, will have interviewed you along side a member of HR staff and it is they who have the real power. Call the switchboard and ask to speak to the hiring manager who interviewed you. Be really polite and explain that the purpose of the call was to thank them for their time at interview and that it is a shame that the offer made by the HR department wasn't enough for you to take the job, as you were looking forward to joining the company. Nine times out of ten you'll receive a call from the Human Resources department within 48 hours, who having been contacted by the hiring manager, want to make a revised offer that is much closer to what you were expecting.
4. Provide Evidence of Market Rates
Usually employers make a salary offer based on what they think you are worth to their organisation. If you want to get an improved salary you need to demonstrate that what you are asking for is not unreasonable and is the going market rate. Visit an online job search site like www.monster.com and check out what other people doing your job are being paid by other companies. Print off this information and take it with you to salary negotiations to evidence your claims.
5. Read Recruitment Magazines in the office
If you are already in employment and are approaching a salary renegotiation period start taking recruitment magazines into work with you and reading them during your lunch break in the office. Ideally circle a few jobs similar to your own and leave that page open on your desk. I guarantee that word will soon spread that you are keeping a look out for a new job. When it comes to your turn to negotiate salary you will have put yourself in a strong position with management to get an improved basic wage.
The most significant impact a person can have on their long term career earnings is to engage in salary negotiation early in their career. This will have a direct impact on the amount of earning potential they have in their future. This could be considered whether it is one's first job out of college or a mid career job change. Further, there are financial consequences when you are in a career working for a company that you are even very happy with, of not doing salary negotiation at the right time. Throughout your career, you may earn pay increases or promotions within the company that you work for, but take as an example, when the company offers scheduled raises, as most companies do, the impact of your intitial salary with that company is measurable. This is not only applicable to your first salary negotiation and subsequent incremental pay raises but also to salary differentials you may get when you changes roles within a company. You may switch into a job requiring significantly increased duties, effort, or responsibilities, and the salary you had earned beforehand can genuinely influence the starting salary at the new job. Take a person starting a career as a system analyst in a high tech company somewhere in the United States, as an example. Say that person begins with a starting salary of $45,000. Most likely that person will have to dedicate at least 6 months to one full year before they are offered their first raise. Suppose it is a 10% raise which would be A LOT in most businesses. That person would gain an additional $4500 yearly based on that raise. Now imagine that same employee started at $55,000 or even higher. That same pay raise of 10% would provide the same person $5500 additional salary per year. With the first salary, the employee would still be under the $50,000 level after one full year of work and after a 10% pay raise, while in the second scenario the employee would be at over $60,000 per year after a 10% raise. Now analyze the compound repercussion of these two starting salaries on the individuals earning potential. First let's examine a 4 year timeline, all other things being equal (that is, suggesting no pay increases and no job advances). The person earning $45K will have earned $180K in total salary in 4 years. The person earning $55K will have earned $220K in 4 years. That is a $40K difference just based on where the employee started in terms of negotiated compensation. Now imagine a 10% raise after the first year and consider the impact as the person advances through their career. The person with a higher salary in the beginning will always be ahead of the person with the lower starting salary, all things being equal (e.g. same title, same job performance). The person with the better salary negotiating will be moving ahead faster than the person starting with the lower salary. This impact amplifies with each subsequent year considering the same percent annual pay raise for each. When requesting a pay raise, if a person earning $50,000 earns a 5% raise without negotiating anything more, that's not bad. But consider the impact if the person negotiates a 15% raise because they have outperformed in the job and they have all the supporting research and a track record to warrant it. That employee will have negotiated salary - $7,500 in a raise versus just accepting $2500. Multiply that by 10 years, and there is a $50,000 impact on the person's earning potential. Many experts suggest that it is better to try negotiating a raise or an improvement to the compensation package than to simply receive the package that is offered. The first offer is often the lowest offer and can be improved with salary negotiation. This negotiation must be done with care and must be well based with a supporting case for the difference. One must also analyze factors such as market, corporate guidelines, and personal performance. However when done well, it can really pay off. Remember to consider the value of all factors of compensation when asking for a raise. Some people truly value free time, their quality of life, while others are willing to take a chance and maybe accept stock options in lieu of pay. However, when it comes to negotiating, don't be afraid to consider asking for more.
Both J Dawkins & Trevor Davide Grant are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
J Dawkins has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cars, Advertising Guide and Salary Negotiation. J Dawkins writes detailed and positive professional website reviews. You can find out more about our free service at Make Friends, Earn Mone. J Dawkins's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Trevor Davide Grant has sinced written about articles on various topics from Salary Negotiation, Salary Negotiation and Interview Questions. Trevor Davide Grant is a project manager in the information technology field and has extensive experience at . Trevor has worked for large telecom, elect. Trevor Davide Grant's top article generates over 1000 views. to your Favourites.