How to Negotiate Salary
You might be getting a new job or maybe you are being promoted at your current one. You know what is the thirst thing keep in mind? Negotiating the salary. An astonishing amount of people do not even think about doing this because it seems scary. Because they might seem demanding and hurt their position at their workplace in the long run. Well, that is not the case. If you know your worth you have to stand up for yourself. Of course, you need to be realistic as well. You cannot ask for more than you are able to deliver. It is as plain as simple as that.
Only about 37% of people negotiate their salaries. That number is quite low, and you can change that for yourself. Let us give you a good example of why even a little amount can put you upfront. If a colleague in the exact the position who does the exact amount of work like you gets a couple thousand dollars more per year it will count in the long run. Say you get $100,000 and he gets $107,000. It will take you up to eight years longer to be as wealthy when you retire. Now that sounds like a huge amount of working time, right?
Now, to help you in your quest for a bigger salary, we will give you some insight about the best things to do and how to do them in this regard.
Know Your Value
First things first, you need to know what value you are bringing to the employer. You should not embarrass yourself by asking an inexplicable sum of money. That is now how it goes. You need to gather information about the rates for people working in your professional industry and on the same position. Take into account the geographic area. If you walk in without any back knowledge in regards to how people in similar fields earn you will be starting the conversation with the wrong foot. After the employer makes the offer, how will you know if it is even remotely fair? So, make your homework when it comes to how much you deserve.
Also, if you know that some other people might be offering more or that they already made you a better offer, state that out and clear if it is the case. If you are in this position you can only win. You are in control in regards to accepting a lower fee or not. Ask for more than the competitors and bargain until you feel you got the right amount. If they will not play fair, take your dignity and leave to the other workplace.
Good online places to conduct research about salaries and so are websites like Payscale and Glassdoor. You might be amazed at what kind of valuable information lies there waiting for you.
Rehearse Your Speech
Go prepared! Go prepared regardless of the circumstances.
If you are a man you will find a lot of great resources on how to be more confident here.
Sometimes, you might even need to be ready to bluff. That’s how life goes. Considering that most corporations will get rid of you the next second that you are not profitable, make sure to take out the most from them as well. Look in the mirror at home and start speaking. Do not get us wrong, we are not advising in being aggressive, but rather having strong will. Do not let your standards bend for any workplace. That is how the employers are also kept in check by the working community.
Now, it is also important to ask for the top range. We know that since you might be a good guy, you will be decent enough to ask for what might to be the more realistic middle. Bad move! Ask for the most possible because your employer will definitely negotiate you down. That is how you will make sure to soften the fall. You should also go to the meeting thinking that you are really entitled to the top pay. For all we know, you might very well be.
Also, try to ask for a really exact number. Say $4850 instead of $5000. This trick will make it look like you know the market very well. It turn out that by doing so you are more likely to score a better salary offer by being closer to what you asked for.
Is It Really Time?
If this is not a new job that you are hunting for, then the amount of time you have been around is super important. You need to have been working for that employer for at least one year before asking for a raise. The only exception for asking before that mark is if you have an absolutely marvelous efficiency rate. Then yes, go ahead and ask to your heart’s content.
If you are not a genius at that job, then you should take into consideration the following:
- How long have you been working there
- How many new responsibilities have you take since you have been hired
- If you have been exceeding expectations
If you can checkmark all of the above, you are in the green zone.
What you can do is to create some sort of plan for your future before asking a raise, this way you will know when is the time to make the move.
Another good thing to keep in mind is the time and setting you will be asking your boss for a raise. If you wait until the performance review seasons, he might already have a plan in his mind with a number for each person. That might be really hard to tackle. So, considering this, start talking to him about a raise three to four months in advance.
Now, how do you feel about getting that bigger salary? Do not get the feel of restraint because of ultimatums. If you do not have a family at home that requires you to support them, this should be all just a game your you. Play it cool and patiently. And, in our opinion, the most powerful characteristic from all of the above is the power to leave if you feel underappreciated. With all this being said, we hope you get the maximum out of your negotiation!