Let’s face it, we all want to make as much money as we can at work. But on the other side, companies would rather not pay everyone an exorbitant wage. Of course, things like experience, prowess, education and more all go into how companies determine what type of salary to give to employees, but being a solid negotiator is an underrated skills. This article will go through three tips to help you try and negotiate the best possible salary!
1. Don’t Break First
(source: careerbuilder.com)
One of the biggest tips I can give is to not bring up a number first. The side (you or the company) that brings up a number first is likely at a disadvantage right from the start. This is because you have essentially showed your cards while theirs have remained hidden. A good idea when they ask you about salary is to deflect the question back to them without saying a number, and hope that they will break first and start the bidding. This can be difficult, but if you stick with it and don’t give in, it could work out great for you in the long term.
2. Don’t rush into speaking about salary
(source:careerprofiles.info)
If you start speaking about salary right out of the gate, not only are you “breaking first” (which I advised you not to do in the first tip) but you are also sending out the message to your potential employer that you care more about the almighty dollar than if you are a good fit at the company and making sure you fit into the culture. Even if you do care about the money more, learn a little about the company, role and your fit before steering the conversation towards money, you will look much better as an applicant.
3. Don’t Only Talk Cash
(source: 3plusinternational.com)
While it makes sense to some to speak out salary/compensation in the sense of purely cash and numbers, there is much more you can talk about. Oftentimes a company will use “this is all we can afford” in salary negotiations, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for less. You can negotiate for non-cash perks such as more vacation, better benefits and more. This “non-cash” negotiation can help you get more out of the overall negotiations and can help you score more than you would have gotten if you didn’t bring them up at all.
