Get salary that you deserve

To successfully negotiate your salary, it is essential to document yourself to gather as much information as possible before starting negotiations.

What is the situation of the company?

It is important to know the performance of the company you are interviewing with:

 

• Did they publish record revenues for the previous year or is their financial performance lower than expected?
• Have they resorted to redundancies in the past twelve months?

All of these factors will have an effect on the business and will allow you to determine its ability to meet your salary requirements and offer you a salary above, below or equal to the typical market salary.

 

What salary do employees in similar positions receive?

Learn about the compensation of people in similar roles, inside and outside your potential new business. It is essential to bring this data together and find meaningful examples. For this, refer to reference documents such as the Robert Half’s Compensation Study . Carried out by a dedicated research team, it is recognized as the most comprehensive study of the recruitment market, organized by country, then by region and by sector of activity.

 

What are the general market conditions in your sector?

• Is there a shortage of candidates with your skills in your industry?
• Have general salaries increased or decreased?
• Are a large number of roles appropriate to your skills available in your industry?

Knowing the answers to all of these questions is important to anticipate how much salary you can realistically claim. Define if salary compromises are possible. Try not to be blown away by the amount of the maximum salary. Calculate your salary carefully, as you may have higher costs in your new position. For example, you may need to travel longer to get to work or lose other benefits. Your new salary may not be as high as you want it to be, but there are other benefits you can get, like a company car, etc.

Knowing the answers to all of these questions is important to anticipate how much salary you can realistically claim.

 

Why do you deserve the salary you ask for?

If you are asking for a higher salary than that offered for the position or commonly accepted in the market, you will need to be able to justify this request. If you have been offered the job, you have already done so. However, you will be more convincing if you explain how the company will make or save money by hiring you. Prove it and the employer will be more inclined to pay you a higher salary.

 

 

10 Key Points on how to negotiate salary with your new employee

 

1. Accept the first offer

Avoid taking the very first offer. Most hiring managers have an approved salary range for the position. You’ll never ask for the lowest salary you’re willing to take right off the bat, so hiring managers will never start with the highest amount they’re willing to pay. They probably have some leeway in the event you make a counter offer to them. Employers normally expect you to negotiate. Enjoy it!

2. Fear that the offer will disappear

Job seekers often worry about looking greedy by asking for more and seeing the original offer withdrawn. This is rarely the case. It is not easy to find a candidate that you are ready to hire! If you are the perfect fit for the job, it’s in the hiring manager’s best interests to come up with an amount that both parties enjoy. Even if the offer doesn’t have any wiggle room, the recruiter is likely to simply decline and leave the original offer on the table until you accept or reject it. The ball will still be in your court.

3. Talk about your personal problems

When it comes to salary, the discussion should revolve around your skills and qualities. Focus on why you deserve a higher salary, not why you need to get it. By bringing up the amount of your rent or your medical bills due to a sick relative, you will appear to be begging. The salary discussion should revolve around the value you bring to the company. If you deserve a higher salary, it’s because you have a skill that other applicants don’t. Avoid playing the easy (and probably ineffective) sympathy card. At the end of the day, you will be hired to do a job and your salary will be determined based on your merits, not your personal life.

4. Long and interminable negotiations

Negotiation is effective, but it is less effective if one withdraws. After a few rounds of talking, you should have a good idea of ​​a common ground. It can be exhausting negotiating to try to get even a single penny out of your employer, and it can make it seem like working alongside you is a pain. If you are still not happy with the offer after a few rounds of bargaining, perhaps now is a good time to face the truth, since this job may not be for you. If you like the job, can you settle for the offered salary? Or is your salary the top priority? If the negotiations have stalled, the time has come to make a decision. Accept the offer or cut your losses so that you and the recruiter can come to a better compromise.

5. Do not take the time to study the offer

Your job is an important part of your life. Avoid making a hasty decision after you’ve been presented with an offer. You should take some time to go through the offer in detail and study it before accepting it. The letter of offer will outline the benefits and expectations of the position. Make sure you read the fine print before signing your signature on the dotted line. Most employers will give you a day or two to think about it before asking for a response. If you are prompted for an answer, politely ask for time to think it over. Most employers will accept. Simply avoid asking for more than a few days. If you need too much time, you might wonder if you are hunting two hares at the same time.

6. Ignore its value in the market

Find out what your skills are worth in the market. With all the information available online about salaries, you have no excuse if you have no idea what the approximate salary is. Be sure to consider where you live as well. Salaries can vary widely from city to city. Also remember to check out the salaries offered for related positions. Companies can use different titles for comparable positions. For example, you could apply for an administrative assistant job, but some of your duties overlap with those of an executive assistant. It is good to know the salary in both cases.

Try Robert Half’s Salary Calculator to see how your salary compares to others in the field.

7. Make vague comments

Avoid bland statements like, “  I think I deserve more. “,” There may be room for negotiation. “Or” “It’s a bit low. »Take a firm stance and be confident. Know what your skills and experience are worth. You don’t need to loosen up your language to demonstrate that you are flexible. If your research shows that the average salaries in your field and in your city are higher than what you are offered, present your case with confidence. This makes hiring managers more likely to take you seriously.

8. Say the minimum wage

Do not put a firm price on your services. If asked about your salary expectations, respond with a salary range or say you are negotiable. The lower amount in your range should be roughly the final salary you’re willing to take, or a little more. It is important that you and the hiring manager have a starting amount to negotiate. However, if you tell her the lowest salary you could accept, you’ll have a hard time negotiating along the way. Leave it to your employer to present you with an offer and negotiate from there.

9. Threaten to leave

Negotiating can be a source of enormous stress. It’s easy to get frustrated and threaten to leave if you don’t get what you want. Avoid this tactic if possible, as it can become irritable and show unprofessional character. Yes, you may have to leave if you fail to reduce the pay gap to an acceptable amount. However, if you politely respond that you don’t feel comfortable with the offer, it’s not like you’re threatening to leave to force your prospective employer’s hand. It happens more often that this tactic arouses some resistance, since no one likes to be threatened. Say, “I have to get X salary to feel comfortable taking this offer. Rather than: “If you don’t give me X, I’m leaving.” This approach leaves room for negotiation. To further increase your chances of being increased in the amount offered, describe the value you bring and why you are worth the amount you request.

10. Do not ask for the offer in writing

To make sure the offer is genuine, always ask for confirmation in writing. This will ensure that no confusion hangs over your hiring and salary conditions and that everyone is on the same page. The letter of offer will include your start date, salary, benefits, work schedule, deadline for accepting the offer, and other important details. If a potential employer refuses to confirm the offer in writing, you should be alarmed. There is no plausible reason why an employer should refuse to confirm your offer in writing. If your prospective employer is hesitant, you should be wary.

Do you negotiate your salary when you are looking for a new job? What do you recommend to people in the midst of salary negotiations? Tell us your story and tell us about the advice you give.

If you need a starting point for your salary negotiations, be sure to check out Roberthalf’s salary guide where you will find base salary information in several popular job categories.