That’s it: a job offer! After weeks or even months of searching, one may be tempted to agree on the spot, without negotiating. Mistake! Here’s how and when to negotiate a hiring salary.
1. Prepare yourself. Do your research on the company and the type of job it offers. You will have a better idea of what you can aim for and on which fronts to negotiate. Your room for maneuver will be less if the company has a collective agreement with a well-established salary scale. However, bonus compensation is practiced in half of private companies, according to the Order of Certified Human Resources Advisors, which allows you to look for more.
2. Take some time to think. Finally, the offer fell! Whether it’s mouth-watering or a little disappointing, ask for some time to think about it, to prepare for the counterattack. Most people are afraid to ask for this thinking time, lest the offer be withdrawn, but it rarely happens, according to Ellis Chase, career coach and author of In Search of The Fun Forever Job. Just one day will allow you to assess the situation with a rested head.
3. Show off yourself. To obtain the desired salary, you have to convince your interlocutor that you deserve it. Highlight your accomplishments and prepare your pitch about it. You must demonstrate, without being arrogant, that you are essential to this enterprise. Deepak Malhotra, professor at Harvard Business School, explains that it is also necessary to help your interlocutor to convince his own superior, by identifying the negotiating points where the company will be more flexible.
4. Always ask. Whoever tries nothing has nothing, it is well known. Always ask for a higher salary than offered, while justifying it. He might say yes straight away. If the answer is no, the person you’re talking to is likely to be open to negotiating another point, such as bonus or paid vacation, provided they are convinced of your value.
5. Don’t forget any aspect. In a salary negotiation, it’s not just the money that counts. Set your priorities for the other aspects of your job: paid vacation, the possibility of teleworking, flexible hours, bonuses, contributions to the pension plan, etc. Perhaps leaving at 4:00 pm to pick up your children from daycare is more important than a salary of $ 5,000 more. Don’t leave anything out, at the risk of derailing the negotiation if you bring an undisputed point to the table when it comes time to make the deal.
6. Alternate between easy and difficult questions. First, make the other person comfortable with easy questions, such as computer equipment used, then move on to a more sensitive question about salary. Without jumping from rooster to donkey, this technique endorsed by Ellis Chase will allow you not to focus the issue on the only point that is absolutely important to you. By appearing to be making a concession elsewhere, you might get more on something that is very important to you.
7. Keep it in writing. The golden rule: once the agreement is concluded, don’t forget to write everything down, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises when you start your new job!
Source : Workopolis
