How to Negotiate Salary: 10 Tips You Need to Know

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Originally Posted On: https://nexusitgroup.com/blog/how-to-negotiate-salary-10-tips-you-need-to-know

Did you get a fantastic job offer?

Now, your employer may want to know how much you expect to earn in your new position. Do you have a specific salary in mind? How much money should you ask for?

Before you sign the deal for a new job opportunity, you should make sure you’re making as much as you want to. Knowing how to negotiate salary figures is an essential part of any job search. But how do you navigate the process in a professional manner?

Below, we’ll go into our top 10 tips for getting the compensation you want. Keep reading to learn more!

It can be tempting to want to know how much you might make at a particular job, but there’s a downside to asking too early in the process. The employer might think you applied to the position for the money if you bring up the salary before getting an offer.

Before the official offer, you should focus on highlighting your skill set, passions, and the aspects of the company that get you excited about working there. This increases your chances of getting the position in the first place. After the offer, you’ll have the opportunity to review the benefits of the position and ask questions about compensation. You can try to negotiate your salary at this point.

There’s an exception to this rule: when the employer brings up the salary first. They might ask you how much you expect to make, and it’s best to have an answer prepared.

Do you know what the average person in your field makes?

If not, you should do your research before you get to the negotiation stage. The average salary for some positions may vary from area to area. As such, you should look at the average industry salary trends in your region. That way, you’ll know whether an employer is offering you too little compensation!

Don’t stick to one set salary. Rather, figure out how much money you’d like to make and the minimum amount of payment you’ll accept.

But why would you go for less payment? Sometimes, the best offer you get won’t be the one that pays the most. Before you accept a job, it’s best to look at the benefits package as well. Does the employer offer health, dental, and vision insurance? Do they make retirement fund contributions and have paid time off?

Some workers find it worthwhile to accept a lower salary in exchange for better benefits. You can still try to negotiate for a higher payment, but being a bit flexible might help you find a better job.

That being said, don’t mention your range to your future employer. If they know you’re willing to work for less, they may only pay you your lowest acceptable number. Instead, aim for higher.

When preparing for negotiations, keep in mind how you want to build your case. Think about your unique skill sets and the contributions you’ve made to other jobs. If you know you can offer a service that not many other candidates can, factor that in, too.

The more you can offer your employer, the more likely they are to pay you more. As such, you should present your skills and abilities in the best light possible.

That being said, you exaggerate your skills and achievements. If your employer learns that you stretched your representation of your abilities, you might lose the job offer.

As such, you should confidently present your case, but keep all your statements as truthful as you can.

Even if you’re having your salary negotiation conversation over the phone or in person, you should get everything in writing. Why? That way, you have a written record of what they’ve agreed to pay you.

File away any e-mails or documents so you know where they are if you need them.

No matter how you negotiate your salary, you should focus on keeping your words friendly and professional. Employers will be more open to considering giving you higher pay if you ask using the right tone. Plus, until you sign the contract, offers can be rescinded.

As such, you should put effort into maintaining their good impression of you.

But how do you know if your communications sound good or not? Try rehearsing your conversation with a friend, preferably someone with experience hiring other people. If you’re going to have the conversation over e-mail, ask someone to read it over first. You can also download web browser extensions that read your text for you and tell you how it sounds.

When it comes time for your salary negotiation, try to make sure you state the first number. This is known as the “anchor,” and it will dictate how the rest of the negotiation process goes.

But what should your anchor be? Start off at the top of the industry trends, even if it’s higher than what you imagined your salary to be. No matter what you say, your employer will try to negotiate lower, so it’s best to start with a higher number.

People who present specific numbers in their salary negotiation meetings are more likely to get better offers. This is because an employer will assume a worker asking for a specific number has done their research and knows their true worth.

So, instead of rounding up and asking for $75,000, ask for $74,850.

Want to know how to negotiate salary figures if the employer acts like your initial offer is too high?

Because they’re negotiating for a lower salary, this is likely to happen. However, you shouldn’t push. Instead, when they make a counter-offer, consider it. If you still want something a little higher, name a figure a bit lower than your starting number. If the negotiation goes smoothly, you and the employer should meet somewhere in the middle.

Now that you know how to negotiate salary figures, you’re ready to get the position you want.

But what if you’re on the other side of the job search? In this case, using a staffing agency can help you streamline your search for talent.

If you’ve been looking for IT employees and searching for an “IT staffing agency near me,” our team is ready to help! We find the right experts for the job and then thoroughly vet them. Once we’ve found some great candidates, we put them in touch with you to close the deal!

Want to know more? Contact us today!