Salary negotiation is an important step in the hiring process that, too often, is skipped over. Many of us are afraid to champion for ourselves in order to earn what we’re worth. Negotiating how much we make can be intimidating, we may feel demanding, and we might even be worried that we will lose the job offer. The truth of it is that 84% of employers expect job applicants to negotiate salary at some point during the interviewing stage. Advocating for yourself is not rude or difficult, and is a skill all of us should learn in order to make the earnings we deserve.
1) Make sure to prepare
Back up your salary expectations! Look at other job postings and their salary ranges (if available) in order to justify the wage you are asking for. You can also research average salaries for your position on websites such as Glassdoor and Ziprecruiter. You can also do informational interviews, which means interviewing other people who work similar jobs to what you’re applying for. That can also be useful in determining what others are earning at different companies.
2) Be persuasive
Make sure to evaluate and showcase your skills and experience, to make the best argument you can showing that you deserve the salary you’re asking for. Convince your supervisor that you being paid your worth is not only good for you, but benefits them because your work will be so valuable for their organization. Boosting your resume with training, classes, certifications, etc. also brings up the value of your work!
3) Be realistic
Make sure that the wage you’re asking for is reasonable for your employer to be able to pay. Sometimes there is a salary range given in the job description, so make sure to stay in this range if possible. With that being said, aim high! Don’t sell yourself short, as long as you are able to defend the number you’re asking for.
4) Listen to their side
Have a conversation with your supervisor about how they feel your skills and qualifications translate to an appropriate salary, and be open to hearing their thoughts on areas where you could further develop your skills in order to achieve that higher salary. This reinforces your focus on benefiting the organization, as well as your own interests.
5) Don’t just focus on salary, consider your benefits
Don’t forget about benefits. While many may be standard to the organization and not something you can negotiate, some benefits, such as money for continuing education or flexible work schedules, could be open to negotiation. Don’t leave these out of the conversation, and make sure to consider them when thinking about your salary expectations.
5 ½) Don’t overthink it
Remember to relax! Most employers expect you to negotiate for salary, and will be impressed with your determination and initiative in doing so. Take a deep breath, remember you should earn what you deserve, and walk into that negotiation with all the confidence in the world.
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