Asking for money is so taboo in our culture that most of us shake in our shoes when we think about negotiating salary. It conjures up our insecurities about not being good enough, not knowing enough, or not being considered valuable enough. We worry that the company will rescind its offer if we ask for what we're worth.
The truth is if you don't negotiate, the employer thinks he or she has paid too much. When you are confident enough to negotiate, your value goes up in the eyes of the employer. You may not get everything you ask for, but if you don't ask you won't get what you are worth! Use these keys to open the locks on your earning potential.
DO YOUR RESEARCH. You must find out what the going rate is for the kind of work you do. Check out online salary surveys and surveys published by professional associations. But remember the best source of salary information is the people who currently work in the field. Ask them for a salary range based on your experience for a given position and industry.
DEMONSTRATE YOUR CAPABILITIES AND EXPERTISE. Sell your skills, knowledge, and expertise from your initial contact with the organization right through to the offer. Know what the employer's problems, challenges, and issues are and demonstrate that you are the best person to solve the problems, meet the challenges, and resolve the issues.
PUT OFF SALARY DISCUSSIONS until after you have been offered the position. When asked about salary requirements or expectations, realize that you have a one in three chance of answering correctly. The odds are not in your favor so shift the conversation to a discussion of the employer's needs and how you can solve their problems. Your goal is to move the employer from concern about their budget to conviction that you are the answer to their problem.
BUY TIME TO CONSIDER THE OFFER. Be gracious and politely request time to evaluate the offer. There are sound reasons why you need time to consider an offer:
? To study and understand the total package.
? To decide how to deal with a salary that may be lower than you expected.
? To discuss the offer with your family, colleagues, or network contacts.
? To plan and execute a successful negotiation strategy.
? To transition from the high of getting the offer to the level-headedness required to negotiate.
? To keep your options open for another offer which you expect to receive shortly.
DEVELOP A NEGOTIATION STRATEGY. Identify multiple options for getting to the compensation level you seek. Maintain a positive attitude and negotiate from the basis of worth not need. Seek win-win solutions.
NEGOTIATE IN PERSON. Because body language and tone of voice are essential to this process, you must negotiate in person rather than by telephone.
RESPOND TO THE INITIAL OFFER WITHOUT REACTING. When the employer quotes a figure, repeat the figure or the top of the range, then keep quiet and silently count to 30. Often the silence will prompt them to immediately bump up the salary.
KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY. Make a conscious decision before you sit down to negotiate that you will politely walk away from the opportunity if it doesn't meet your "must have" requirements. Don't accept the position thinking things will change once you are on the job.
GET THE OFFER IN WRITING. Things change; bosses come and go. If you negotiate anything out of the ordinary-additional or early vacation, higher than usual salary, an office with a door instead of a cubicle-get it in writing so that when circumstances change your agreement is still intact.
DELIVER WHAT YOU PROMISED AND MORE. Once you are on the job deliver what you promised and more. Why? For future promotions, salary increases, to protect your reputation, and to give you leverage should things at the company take a turn for the worse.
Mary Jeanne Vincent is the author of Acing the Interview tip cards featuring answers to the top 20 "killer" interview questions. Also included are tips for interviewing in the new economy, ideas for responding to illegal and trick questions, and suggestions for avoiding 10 deadly interview mistakes.
Go to http://www.2bworkwise.com for free job search articles and to sign up for the free WorkWise e-zine. For information on individual job and career coaching or to find out about other practical, easy-to-use career tools call Mary Jeanne at 831.657.9151.
We naturally hesitate to tell our boss when we can't... Read More
Make sure that your resume is up to date with... Read More
Dear Job-Seeker:Just as Goldilocks was suspicious of the big bad... Read More
Q. I didn't get a job that I interviewed for.... Read More
Dubai is home to an exciting, diverse, multi-cultural blend of... Read More
This question comes up often when I'm working with someone... Read More
A job search for executives is far less complicated today... Read More
Before you go into the interview, it is important to... Read More
Tips on writing your Skills and Achievement Based CV (ABCV)... Read More
"Doing a good job is one of the most important... Read More
I was rushing through the white-tented terminal building at Denver... Read More
You are looking for a job and you are out... Read More
It seems like a good idea, harmless in fact. Your... Read More
Core value investing in your careerMany people walk through their... Read More
Job burnout happens when the stress or prolonged frustration of... Read More
The perfect resume presents hiring managers with a... Read More
The traditional model of career choice suggests a linear pattern.... Read More
Current trends in business are conspiring to create a revolution... Read More
Figure out what you want to do.You can't write an... Read More
Of course interviews are mainly about you answering the questions... Read More
Let me ask you a question: are you tired of... Read More
Not everyone is cut out to be a mortgage processor.... Read More
As they always say "It's not what you know, it's... Read More
To "sell" oneself on paper is not easy. Creating a... Read More
The increasing globalization of business has created a demand for... Read More
Family is the driving force of our lives. You need... Read More
A legendary marketing genius once said that, if he had... Read More
Is an International Resume still a Resume? This is a... Read More
Of course, she then offered me a six-month process, costing... Read More
1. You're eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations... Read More
Whether you are an accountant, virtual assistant, or a corporate... Read More
Best Strategy using Internet Job Search EnginesThere are hundreds of... Read More
If you ever studied any probability theory in high school... Read More
Is your inner brat taking over your job? Everyone has... Read More
You can drown in the "free resume examples," "free resume... Read More
There has been a lot of talk recently about American... Read More
It's a fact: the best jobs attract loads of competition.... Read More
Years after Disneyland was built, after the completion of Walt... Read More
Looking for a job involves a wide range of responsibilities:... Read More
As a human resources professional or business owner, you face... Read More
At this moment in time, the increase in cross border... Read More
Everyone dreams of a life full of love and adventure.... Read More
The values landscape of our nation is changing, and with... Read More
Despite how important fair pay is to most of us,... Read More
I begin this article with a bit of slang description.... Read More
Phone interviews are de rigueur with many organizations.Companies conduct phone... Read More
Several times a year, I hear someone complain about the... Read More
Are you looking for new writing work? It can be... Read More
Salary negotiation requires preparation and good timing. It's important to... Read More
I'm the type of person that considers a healthy, enjoyable... Read More
When we think of technical certification, most of us think... Read More
If you are thinking of breaking into the petite modeling... Read More
My first job was secretary to Moses. Having to transcribe... Read More
If you want to land an interview, you'll need more... Read More
Despite constant calls by politicians and policy makers to reign... Read More
Is Monday the worst day of your week? Can you... Read More
To survive and thrive in today's competitive environment, it is... Read More
Many people, under financial or other pressures to find work... Read More
Is your working life in the doldrums? Do you feel... Read More
The successful job search is really just a personal marketing... Read More
There was a time when accounting was the boring college... Read More
As children we often used to read stories where magical... Read More
(DES MOINES, Iowa ? January 26, 2005) The fateful final... Read More
I get asked these questions over and over: "Should I... Read More
Many interview guides advise candidates to answer the common "What's... Read More
Targeting your portfolio, (resume and cover letter) can get you... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |