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Topic: How to Negotiate Salary
| Author | Message |
| heatherh | Posted – 12/10/2007 1:17:01 PM | show profile I'm not exactly a "beginner" as I've been in the field for a little over a year now. I've started looking for my next job and am seeking advice on salary negotiating. If you are offered less than you think you are worth, how do you appropriately (and professionally) ask for more? If you are offered about what you expected to make, is it ok to try and negotiate for more? |
| ManhattanMatt | Posted – 12/10/2007 3:58:15 PM | show profile "Not exactly a beginner" means you've been in your respective field for at least THREE years ... preferably FIVE. At this stage in the game, someone with just one year of experience pretty much has zero leverage in negotiating salary. Take what you can get now, and get back to us when you have 3-5 years of experience under your belt. |
| foodlit | Posted – 12/10/2007 7:43:37 PM | show profile Actually whether you have one year or five, it doesn't matter. What matters is how badly they want you and how willing you are to walk away. You have the most leverage when you have another offer in hand. But that's not always the case. So, here's what you do. I'll take each scenario separately. First one...you're offered less than you think you are worth. This one is actually easy. You must have a walk away number, and really be willing to walk away from the job if they don't go there. In most cases, if what you are asking for is reasonable, you'll get it. If not, they may offer something a little lower, but still higher than the original offer and then you have to decide yes or no. The way to handle the situation is to simply say something like, "I'm really excited about the opportunity to work here and really appreciate the offer....but I had a different number in mind for the salary...is there any flexibility? And then you stay silent...which is very hard to do, but you must wait and see how they respond to that. In most instances they'll say, "Well, what did you have in mind?" And then you carefully give a range, just a bit above what they offered with the number you want at the bottom of the range and then add 10k to that. So for instance, let's say they offered you 35k, and you really think you deserve 40k, you say, "well I'm interviewing for other positions in the 40-50k range" and that's ideally where I'm hoping to be. This does a few things in your favor....it shows 40k as your rock bottom, and maybe they'll go up a bit higher, you never know...but it never hurts to ask. In the other scenario.....let's say you're hoping for 40k and they offer you 40k, it still doesn't hurt to say, "I'm really excited....but am wondering is there any flexibility to go a little higher on the salary?" It absolutely never hurts to ask nicely. All they can do is say no...and as long as you stress how excited you are about the position, you're fine. Good luck! Pam |
