Negotiating salary is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to get what you deserve. So let me tell you how to negotiate salary:
Don’t be afraid
Don’t be afraid to negotiate. If you feel like your skills are worth more than the company’s offer, then it’s time to stand up for yourself. You’ll need to be confident and assertive in order for this negotiation process to work for you—and also remember that not everyone will be as open-minded as you are about what kind of salary is fair or reasonable.
- Be prepared: Be ready with examples from past or current jobs where similar positions were paid at higher salaries than what they’re offering now. Also have a plan of action when presenting those examples; don’t just blurt them out without any preparation! You should always have an idea of how much money each example could potentially earn within your field before presenting them (e.g., “This position started out at $60k per year but increased significantly over time due primarily because [fill in blank]”).
- Focus on what makes YOU different: Instead of focusing solely on what salary others might offer, consider why YOU deserve more than anyone else working alongside YOU today – because after all…we’re talking about OUR future here!
Do your homework
Before you begin, it’s important to do some research and prepare yourself for the negotiation process. The first step is figuring out what your market rate should be, as well as what kind of job experience and skills you have that are worth paying for. You can use websites like Glassdoor or Payscale to find out how much other people with similar positions make in similar companies; this will give you an idea of where things stand in the market place. Next, think about what value addings are unique to your position: if there aren’t many candidates who can do something similar (or better), then this could be an advantage during negotiations! Finally, consider whether or not there are budget restrictions—if so, make sure those aren’t too high before deciding on salary levels
Know your strengths
As you begin to evaluate your salary, it’s important to know your strengths. Do you have a strong educational background? Are you bilingual or skilled in another area? What do employers value most in their employees?
Once you’ve identified what makes up your strengths and weaknesses, it’s time to figure out what kind of salary is fair for both parties involved. If an employer is offering $40k per year and your ideal rate is $60k per year, then don’t accept anything less than that! You deserve all of those extra dollars—and so does he/she if they’re willing to give them away!
Know when to say yes
Don’t get into a negotiation unless you’re willing to walk away. If the company has already said yes, then they might be willing to pay more than their initial offer if they’re confident that you’ll stay. But if it’s just an initial conversation and no offer has been made yet, then there’s no reason for them not to agree with whatever terms are presented by your employer—and thus no need for negotiation at all!
If someone offers an outrageous figure (or even half of one), don’t accept it without further deliberation: consider what other options might exist before committing yourself fully; ask questions about how much other people make in similar roles within the company; research comparable positions elsewhere online (or perhaps even locally) so that when this person proposes something sky-high, there won’t be any doubt about whether or not he/she is serious about hiring someone who could potentially cost him/her thousands upon thousands of dollars per year…
Know what you bring to the table
So you want to negotiate your salary. That’s great! But you need to know what you bring to the table before negotiating, and here are some things that will help:
- Know what value-adds or benefits would make up a good deal for both parties involved in negotiations. If there isn’t room for negotiation on this front, then maybe there isn’t any reason for negotiation at all—but if there is room for negotiation, then let’s talk about what works best financially!
- Be prepared with paperwork showing all of these things – especially if they’re difficult numbers like “You’ve been here eight years” or “Your performance review said ‘90%'” – because chances are those numbers won’t be easy questions during negotiations either!
Negotiating salary is not a bad thing
It’s not a bad thing to ask for more money. In fact, it’s an important part of your job as an employee.
It doesn’t have to be scary or awkward to negotiate salary at any time during the interview process or after being hired. You shouldn’t feel like you’re giving up something by negotiating—you’re just showing that you know what’s best for you and your career goals! If there’s anything worth paying attention to when talking about salaries, it’s thinking about how much room there will be between what someone else makes and their own expectations of themselves (or what they think they deserve).
