How to Negotiate a Lowball Salary
While getting through the interview is the hard part in comparison to accepting the job offer, there’s one final road block between you and the job you’re after: money. When an employer lowballs a candidate, the employer hopes that the candidate will accept a lower-than-average offer for his services. Effectively negotiating a higher salary requires you to make your requested salary clear and to show the employer why you deserve a higher salary.
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Instructions
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Explain the range of salary you were expecting. Do not mention you feel that you were lowballed. Simply state your expected range of salary; you’re effectively saying the same thing but with tact. Aim a bit higher than you think you’re worth. The employer will likely attempt to bring that number down regardless of the salary you request, so aim a bit higher than you believe you’re wroth.
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Reinforce your stance by mentioning the average salary for the job and for someone of your experience. By doing so, you essentially tell the interviewer that the offer didn’t match the average for your position. Use statistics to serve as evidence. If you’re unsure of the average salary for your position, look online for salary information or ask people in various industries who hold a similar position.
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Talk about the skills you possess and mention your past experience. Help the employer realize that you’re not a below-average employee and that you don’t just meet the job requirements, you surpass them.
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Meet in the middle. If the employer offers you a salary that’s above his initial offer but slightly below your requested salary range, consider accepting it. You aimed high knowing that the employer likely wouldn’t meet your exact salary request, so it’s reasonable to accept an offer that’s a bit lower than your request.
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Walk away. If the employer refuses to increase his initial offer, explain that you don’t believe you can accept the job offer given the salary. Do not appear angry or become emotional. There’s a chance that the employer will attempt to pull you back in by offering you a higher salary, but there’s also a chance he’ll part ways with you. Only walk away if you’re prepared to look for another job.
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Tips & Warnings
Tara Weiss of Forbes.com advises job seekers to never talk about your salary from a previous job.
