Some QuickTips On Negotiating A Salary

Someone recently asked me the question: “Can you give me some tips or advice on how to negotiate a salary? I am not an expert at this and would like to get better. Given my background, and having done hundreds of interviews and negotiated a number of salaries in a number of jobs with significant results, I’d be happy to share what I see is a cookie cutter outline for the approach. While what follows here is a great beginning, there are dozens of permutations of how events in negotiation can transpire. It is really important for people to have the full picture. They need to know all the strategies and all the ways to overcome common hurdles. I cannot address it all here, but I am willing to give you this brief overview of negotiating salary in the best way possible. Hi there, I can give you a few tips. My basic outline is as follows:

1) Do vigilant market research to find out the value of the role you are looking to fill. Check with some common web sites like salary.com or monster.com or payscale.com for those.

2) Write down all the things you can that you do or have done that add value to the company. Give considerable attention to think about items that are over and above expectations.

3) Figure out where you are relative to other personnel in the business. This may take a bit of research on your part. Ask friends. It is seemingly more acceptable these days.

4) Plan out a strategic time to plant the seed in your supervisors mind. Approach them when they have time, not when they are rushed out the door or off to their next meeting.

5) Ask if you can discuss it with them when it is a good time for them, and then ask. Present your case confidently.

6) Make sure you've mentally rehearsed some possible objections and have thought through the responses to the objections. There is always a way to keep the game on a win-win trajectory.

7) Don't get discouraged, and maintain your high level of confidence. Never give an ultimatum that you're not prepared to follow through on because your hand may be forced, and you may find yourself looking further for that next job..

There is a considerable list of facets to each scenario, and number of things to look out for. When going into negotiations it is really easy for a person to encounter time bombs or land mines that are set. Sometimes they are set by the recruiting manager. Sometimes they are just “out there” for the job hunter to step into. That is why my other article “Top 10 Salary Negotiation Landmines To Avoid” is also one to read. My favorite tactic is to wait for the employer to bring up the question of salary first. Either they will present their range, or they will ask you what your range is. It is best to defer this as far as possible. The other tactic that I like is when receiving an offer that you’re not very pleased with is to ask the question, “Is that the best possible salary offer you can make me at this time?” When followed up with silence, leaves the employer scrambling to say something. If the answer is yes, you can launch into why it cannot be accepted, and how you believe your value is worth more. If the answer is no, immediately suggest, “Is it possible for you to offer me $XX,000 [your highest wish]”. Whatever technique you chose, make sure you’ve build up your supports, and know your script well. Prepare for objections, and know how to deal with ambiguous scenarios. Always leave the door open for further negotiation, until you get the close that you are content with.