How To Successfully Negotiate Salary

The salary negotiation part of a new job can be very stressful. It can be so daunting that some candidates will simply accept whatever number is thrown at them by their new employer. Others will know what it takes to negotiate their salary without causing any issues between themselves and the company. In this week’s post, we will discuss the best ways to successfully negotiate your salary when it comes time for a promotion or a new job.

Perform Research

One of the most important tips we will discuss today is that you must perform research prior to negotiating your salary. You need to know the market and a little bit of history behind what other employees in your position have made in the past, and are making now. You must look at salaries of the same jobs, or comparable jobs, that are in or near the same geographic location where you will be working. This will help you get a feel for how much compensation you should receive for the job.

Begin with the Right Tone

You do not want to walk into a salary negotiation with the wrong tone of voice or body language. Your tone needs to show the employer that you are willing to listen to their offer. How you speak during the negotiation goes a long way towards being successful, and so does your body language. You absolutely must avoid giving your employer ultimatums, making threats or conducting any other type of coercive behavior during salary negotiations.

Be Clear About Interests

You need to be clear about what interests you when it comes to compensation. Let the company know you are looking for more than just salary. This includes paid time off, flexible scheduling, stock options and much more. All of these items will be included in your total compensation package and can affect the actual salary that you bring home.

Be Realistic While Aiming High

There is nothing wrong with aiming high when negotiating salary, but you also need to be realistic when doing so. When sitting down to negotiate salary, you need to come up with things your new boss will actually be able to say “yes” to, and not cause an issue within the organization.

Have Alternatives Ready

As with any negotiation, not all salary negotiations will go your way. This means that you will need to have alternatives at the ready in the event that you want to walk away from the table and not accept the final offer from the company. Your alternative could be staying at your current job, going on another job interview you already had scheduled or continuing to look for another job. You just need to be ready for all outcomes.

Negotiating a salary is difficult and stressful, but if you follow the tips outlined here, you should have no problems being successful. Contact Smart Talent today to speak with an experienced recruiter about salary negotiations.