How to Negotiate A Better Salary

There are two things you need to negotiate a better salary, communication and knowledge. Follow these eight salary negotiation tips and you will be that much closer to earning a salary you deserve!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• yourself

1. Don't discuss salary until you are offered the job
   
   While you are concerned with what an employer can do for you, an employer is concerned with what you can do for them. If they get the feeling you are only in it for the money, your chances of landing that job may not look so good!

2. When salary is discussed, let the employer talk first
   
   This is very important! If you bring up salary first, you could lose out! For example. If an employer planned to pay you an annual salary of $75,000 and you told an employer you think you are worth $60,000, well, you just lost out on a $15,000 pay raise. Let them start negotiations, just be prepared to finish them!

3. Research the job's salary range
   
   There are multiple resources available, you just need to do the foot work. Find out what other people, doing your job, are getting paid. If you are demanding $100,000 and the average salary in your industry is only $60,000, you may have your hopes set a little too high.

4. Look at the market
   
   Look at the market and find out whether your job is in demand. If there are more jobs out there than there are people to fill them, you are worth more. If there are more people than jobs, you may have to be a bit more conservative in your demands.

5. Know the worth of your job
   
   What are you going to be responsible for? Who are you going to be responsible for? You may be applying for a retail position but what the employer forgot to tell you is you will have managerial responsibilities! If you have to do the work make sure you are getting paid for it!

6. Be flexible
   
   If an employer won't increase your salary, what else are they willing to give you? You can negotiate more paid vacation time, stock options, benefits, the possibilities are endless!

7. Don't settle for no
   
   Times are tough and everyone is trying to save money. If a company is trying to save money, you should not be the one to suffer. Don't settle for fear of losing a job, it will only hurt you more down the road.

8. Get everything in writing
   
   Even if you don't accept immediately, get the offer in writing. You want to make sure the employer is just as serious about the offer as you are. Also, if you decide not to accept the job you can save the offer for negotiating power elsewhere.

Resources

• free salary articles

[Delaplane]

on 3/17/2009 Great article/advice!