You've been offered a job! YAY! Now it's time to negotiate your salary.
Aimee Cunningham, Assistant Director of Career Development at Vassar College, is here to give you top tips on how to negotiate your first salary in this AHC guest post!
Many times your very first salary will determine your salary for the remainder of your working career. Some experts suggest that you shouldn't negotiate while others say you always should. This can be quite confusing, especially to those just entering the workforce. So what are you to do?
The short answer is, always negotiate! And this is especially true for women. According to www.themuse.com, only about 7% of women attempted to negotiate their first salary, while 57% of men did.
Only about 7% of women attempted to negotiate their first salary, while 57% of men did.
The salary conversation will start one of two ways: you will be asked what salary you are expecting or the employer will give you a number with the job offer. In either case, when the final number is offered to you, do not feel like to have to accept on the spot. Always ask for time to think through the offer. When you respond to negotiate your salary, it should be over the phone. Unless all of your communication has been through email, then an email is acceptable. Regardless of the way in which the conversation takes place, alway be polite, kind and professional.
Now, there are several factors to take into consideration when you are negotiating your salary. First and foremost, do your research! It is important to know the average salary for your position and in your geographic location. www.indeed.com/salary and www.glassdoor.com are two really great websites to find salaries for your position or similar positions. Looking at other job descriptions may be helpful if the the salary is listed. Never go into a negotiation blind. You want to be able to back up the amount you are asking for with facts.
Stay away from negotiating with personal reasons, such as the cost of living or other personal expenses you have. Every employee in the company has personal expenses, and you want the negotiation to be more about your value, not the amount of your credit card bill.
Typically when you are researching salaries, you will see a range and an average. You may be tempted to ask for around the average number or somewhere in the middle of the range. Instead, ask for a number closer to the top. Chances are the company will come back and negotiate with a lower number and you want to end up in the middle with a salary you are happy with. And best case scenario, the employer may take your first number! Stay away from asking for a range but rather a specific number. This will show the employer that you have done your research and that you are firm on what you're asking for.
In addition to knowing the salary facts, know yourself too. Be able to talk about your skills, education and experiences, and be proud to share them during your negotiation process. You want to demonstrate your value to your potential boss.
Practice what you're going to say. Practice with a friend, mentor, family member or someone else that you trust. When you are having the actual conversation you’ll feel more confident and not waiver from what you're asking for.
Finally, you have to be willing to walk away. Before you even begin the negotiation process, know what your walk away number is and stick to it. While this may seem drastic and scary, if you know what you're worth walking away from a number that is too low will help you maintain that confidence. And worth.
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