Speaking about money, salary and finances has always been a sensitive issue to handle and express freely. When it comes to fixing the salary, many people find it difficult to speak up and say the numbers they want due to fear most. People find it awkward and difficult to speak because once asked for a raise, How to Negotiate Salary? ‘what would happen?’ ‘How will my boss take this’ or ‘What happens if my recruiter looks for someone once I ask a raise’ or ‘Is it too much to ask’. Confusions like this are quite natural regarding the salary constraints, especially to young people joining as recruits. Comparatively, the senior people also find it difficult and awkward to bring the salary-hike.
We have to agree to the most compelling point that the salary and allowances the company gives are not just the concepts of “doing work and getting paid.” alary should be more than that. It is the company’s turn of appreciating the people who put in their efforts to better theirs. People work so that the company gets to reach the top and earn trust. Therefore, asking for a raise or negotiating a raise in salary is something you should do confidently in the event of your hard work and achievements.
Tips for Negotiating a Salary
Before we get into the point of ‘how can you negotiate the salary’ we should establish some ground rules about what you should do and what you should not do in terms of negotiating your salary.
Dos & Don’ts in Salary Negotiation
1.) Do negotiate, but don’t fight – Don’t escalate the conversation into a fight for what you want. Take it as a conversation between two people about fixing numbers.
2.) Don’t overdo - Be confident, but don’t go overboard.
3.) Do ask – If you are a fresher, ask if the salary-negotiations are on the table. There’s nothing wrong with it.
4.) Don’t give flaunted promises - To get a better package, don’t give unrealistic work goals, or say that you can do this and that or results you can bring in a short time or say that you are the best fit.
5.) Don’t jump to the first salary number – Let your recruiter say the numbers first.
6.) Don’t go un-prepared - Back your salary claims or raise proposals with appropriate backups.
7.) Don’t hesitate to give the genuine numbers you want – the rest of it is next, but first, don’t hesitate to ask what you want.
8.) Do not lie – about salary proposals in the company you worked at last.
9.) Don’t be stubborn – Both people should talk, converse, and get to a point where both go home happy. Don’t be stubborn in what you say alone.
10.) Do not do comparison & don’t bring it on the table – It can be with the salary/allowances of your co-worker, or someone in your team or anyone for that matter. He/she is getting so much, and why am I getting this much is not the right way to negotiate. It depends on your boss. He/she may be okay with it or not okay with it. Better don’t bring it to the negotiating table.
11.) Don’t interrupt often – hear what they have to say or why they had to refuse a raise.
12.) Don’t link negotiations to self-worth - It’s only a negotiation. If they say No, it doesn’t always have to be a gibe on your performance or hard work. It is not always about your self-worth. The ‘No’ can be due to various reasons in the company.
13.) Sometimes don’t expect an immediate response – Your recruiter or boss might need some time to consider the offers your proposed. They need time to think about what they can do.
14.) Begin with a ‘Thank You’ - It’ll be a nice gesture. You can further proceed in your negotiations, but first, don’t forget to say that you appreciate the pay-scale you have been given, but it would be nice to reconsider it.
15.) If you are a new hire - the chances of salary constraints being informed earlier can be high. So, upon joining new, give your thanks to them for the job. You can kindly refuse it if it is below the market value and start negotiating.
16.) Don’t be Pushy – It can get awkward. You know genuinely if the company’s offer is good, so don’t push them. Negotiations happen so that both agree to terms, and both go home happy, so if you keep demanding more than a genuine rise, you’ll be seen as too pushy. It’s not good.
17.) Don’t be sorry for asking – It’s a common thing. Don’t apologize for negotiating or asking for a raise.
These 17 tips of Dos and Don’ts of salary negotiations are important for you to take note of. Let’s take a look into the steps of ‘How should you negotiate your Salary’ amicably.
Best ways to negotiate your Salary
1. If you are a Fresher
Being a fresher with no experience, your recruiters or boss will have the high-hand in fixing your pay scale. Negotiating your salary as a novice is off the table in most of the cases. Your company will demand you to learn things and adapt to the work environment. This will be an important issue at hand for you as soon as you join. In general, negotiating your pay-scale or demanding a number is difficult being a ‘no-experience’ recruit.
We also like to emphasize on a point that, until you are hired for the job, don’t negotiate or demand the salary numbers to your recruiter during initial communications. Odds of finding people like you are more for them with the salary they quote. The first 1-3 years will be difficult, so let’s face reality here. At the same time, working for a too low entry-level wage will be difficult for you to sustain your livelihood.
No matter how talented you are, it can break your self-worth. It can become a big de-motivator too. Under those circumstances, don’t pause to ask for a salary number that feels appropriate to both you and your recruiter even though you are a fresher.
2. If you are In-between Companies
If you are in-between companies and both are offering the job to you, negotiating a salary package can become a smooth one. Let’s explain this in detail. On the positive side, you can quote your recruiter that Company A is ready to offer so much for you. It will make Company B reconsider the offer they have. If you are interested in working with Company B, you can communicate your interest to them and say to them about how it would be nice to get a raise as you are very much interested in working here. It can make you look good.
On the negative side, recruiters or the boss can think that you are too demanding by holding the cards. People will understand clearly if you are here to negotiate genuinely or to show off your offers, make comparisons, and demand the pay. See to it that you don’t go overboard while exchanging the salary proposals.
3. Know the numbers based on market value
It applies to freshers as well. Knowing the market value or at least a rough estimate of the value is important. You can do online searches or it is better to ask someone who is in the same field as yours.
(1) If you have a recruiter friend, ask him/her about the salary fixes they follow for people like you. They can give a rough idea about salaries offered to candidates with no experience.
For example, if you do the research and if you see that the range/market value is somewhere between A-E, then quote a number in between so that it can finally be settled to a range that is good for you and them.
(2) As a fresher, it can be difficult. But with a couple of years of experience, you can follow this idea to negotiate your salary.
(3) Due to various circumstances, if you are desperate to get the job, don’t agree to a very low entry-level salary. Don’t make your situation a vulnerable point to exercise control over the salary. Kindly refuse the salary package if it is not fruitful and ask for a negotiation no matter how desperate you are. Don’t go below the actual market value.
(4) If you have joined with no experience in this particular field you are hired for, then don’t start about salary talk for some time. Wait till you get a strong foot. Because sometimes the company won’t consider your previous experience but only see if you have any experience in this particular field of work.
(5) Sometimes an accurate salary-number can help you close the deal sooner.
(6) As a fresher, if you wish to learn, then salary shouldn’t be a concern to you.
Whatever it might be, knowing the number related to the market value of your job is essential.
4. Prepare yourself
You need to do some groundwork before you go to negotiate your salary so that you can be confident about it. If you have the chance to show the value and results you bring, the company will see the advantage in giving the raise, you ask.
A) Brag Sheets
It’s a good way to record and show your achievements, efforts, recognitions, awards, business testimonials, client feedbacks, initiatives, etc. Maintain a rough brag sheet for work. It can be of help to you while negotiating a salary with your boss.
B) Be realistic with the numbers
Consider your experience level and claim the salary numbers. Keep it real.
C) You can practice the conversation
You can practice the negotiation conversation by yourself or with a friend of yours. Ask your friend and have a conversation before sitting down with your boss to negotiate the salary professionally. In this way, you can rehearse and prep yourself to handle different emotions and situations that could come during your actual negotiation.
D) Say ‘NO’ to personal issues/demands here
Try not to bring in the personal needs and show that’s why you are asking for a raise. In the series of negotiation events, people sometimes crack and reveal that they have so many personal obligations, and it would be nice to have a salary hike even without their knowledge. Always keep it professional and stick to your performance and work. Your company only cares about your work, your performance, and the pay they give you and not much about personal issues.
E) It is not personal
Asking for a salary raise, negotiating for a better pay scale, boss/recruiters saying no to the salary number is a common workplace thing. Don’t feel shy in asking for the right salary-raise you deserve. Don’t feel like you are risking your self-worth in negotiating the salary. Don’t take everything personal while negotiating.
If you go unprepared, the chances of missing simple but essential details or key information are high. Mind these few steps so that it will be easy for you to prepare for negotiating salary without troubles.
5. Be Confident
Know your self-work so that you can deal confidently. Confident people shine, and there’s no doubt even with salary negotiations. In the long run, you will know the ins and outs of your work. The efforts and performance of you will be molded so well. By adding value to your company with your goodwill and work, you become this perfect employer. They can’t say No to the raise or can’t reconsider the salary proposals you give. The confidence in you will reflect in your salary negotiations. To get that confidence, put your efforts into the work you do.
6. Show the Results
Regular progress from you is good. How good you are in handling the projects, and meeting deadlines will bring in the trust. To top it all, a good-will and good business relationships will make it difficult for your boss to say No during your salary negotiations. If not, at least your boss will strongly recommend you and back your claims to the company.
7. Don’t be stubborn with your idea
People negotiate to see if they can agree to some common terms. It’s not a place where one talks, and others listen. Next time you are about to negotiate the salary, don’t be stubborn. Try to get down. There could be reasons behind for not agreeing to your salary demands. The company could only offer this much right now, or they could be going through rough times, or they need more time to consider your proposal, etc. Considering this, negotiate and take home something good on both sides. Don’t be stubborn. You are skilled, good at what you do, but still, if the reasons for ‘No’ from your company is agreeable, be lenient.
8. Be polite & strong enough to refuse
It’s an important trait that you need to show when you are given a salary number that truly demeans your effort and performance. If negotiations get down to a value that you disagree, calm yourself for a few minutes. Be strong at the same time; be polite enough to refuse the offer. Express them clearly at that time itself. Emphasize how good your work is, and worth is. Confidently express your concern to them.
9. Do not underestimate yourself to your recruiter/boss
This happens mostly with freshers. Respect yourself and your worth. Nobody knows ‘you’ better than you, neither the company nor the recruiter. So, show your worth to them. You know that you are capable of doing work better than expected. You know that you can put in your efforts to maximum, and you are worth the place they give you and ask for what you want.
10. People could look for future-value
Sometimes recruiters/company looks for potential candidate’s future value than their previous accomplishments or records. If you are about to join a new concern, then chances are, they could be more interested in your future-value here. They will quickly look past your achievements in the previous company. Why we say, this is that it applies to negotiate the salary as well. Everything can be the same as the previous one, or it could be entirely different. Yet, companies look for what you can do here. Therefore, don’t conclude that a previous salary will bring a hike here.
11. Be Clear and Crisp in Communicating
Salary negotiations should be dealt with professionally. Don’t bring in the chatter or emotional terms or people-pleasing. Be clear in what you want from the company regarding the salary package. Communicate to them in a clear professional way. Don’t feel bad to ask for a salary raise.
12. Steps to handle when the answer is No to Salary Hike
As we said earlier, negotiating and saying NO is a common thing in the workplace. You can handle when they say No to your salary proposals with the help of these few steps.
i) It’s not a ‘NO’ forever
If they say ‘No,’ then it is not final. It is not a refusal forever. At the right time, the company will consider the offer you gave. So, when they say ‘No,’ it doesn’t have to be a ‘No’ forever. It can be due to various reasons that your boss is saying No to your salary proposal or negotiation.
ii) It’s not always about your ‘Performance’
As soon as they say ‘no,’ people automatically think that ‘what’s wrong with me,’ ‘I give everything to this work, but all I get is this salary.’ Don’t do this. The answer ‘No’ might have nothing to do with your performance. It is also not about bringing your self-worth down. Look around before you react. See what’s going on.
iii) Understand what’s going on
See if your company’s going through any tough times, economic inconsistencies, less turn-over, budget cuts, financial crisis, less production, etc. Because of all this, your company might not be ready to negotiate any salary concerns.
iv) You can analyze
By asking the reason. Ask if the ‘No’ is due to any experience issues, things you need to change, about co-worker complaints, or any issue it might be. There’s no wrong in asking why you people didn’t agree to the salary you quoted.
v) Start working on yourself
See if you are lagging in any area. Work on improving your skills.
The ‘No’ for salary can be due to different reasons. Before you react, think. Don’t bring the emotional quotient during your salary negotiation talks.
13. Negotiating Salary During the Interview
During interviews, recruiters ask the question about your salary expectations while some of them keep it to the last after hiring. Let them talk first about the numbers. But, if people ask you first about your salary expectations, respond politely about the number you have in mind. Instead, don’t do the act of ‘work is important, love your company’ and such talks. You will have a number in mind; similarly, the recruiter will have a number in mind.
1. Don’t ask or negotiate if you are not sure that they will hire you.
2. You can ask for some time and ask if there’s someone in HR that you could get in touch to discuss further.
3. You could ask the interview panel what number they have in mind.
4. You can negotiate the best starting salary by explaining to them the nature of your role, responsibilities, travel hours (depending upon the work), business visits, results you need to give, etc., and also say that you are flexible in the salary fixations too.
5. Being a fresher, have a realistic number and not a number just for the sake of counter-offering the salary they give.
6. If it is less than a minimum salary, don’t hesitate to tell your recruiter that you cannot accept a below minimum-acceptable salary. So, give them a counter-offer salary. A counter-salary offer is good around 10% above the initial proposal for a fresher.
7. If they give you an acceptable minimum wage, then being a candidate with no experience, you should accept it. Don’t counter-offer your salary. With good years in this company, you can work to increase it. Counter-offer your salary only when there’s a genuine need.
We like to conclude by saying that we have covered important tips and ideas you need to know about negotiating your salary or asking for a raise. This article will help you establish some basic steps for you to prepare yourself. In reality, you know your workplace and your boss better than us. You know how your company is functioning. So take these steps as a starter, see what’s going on in the company, analyze how you can bring it to the table to discuss, and see what you can do to begin negotiating the salary proposals that you deserve.