NEGOTIATING YOUR SALARY

NEGOTIATING YOUR SALARY

·         Lying about your previous salary is highly counterproductive as your career depends on your reputation.
·         Job seekers should be transparent about why they need to make a particular salary.
·         The hiring manager wants to know there's a rational explanation behind what you're asking for.
·         For example, if a company wants you to move from a city to a metro and you have two kids in a private school, go ahead and tell the hiring manager that you're going to need a raise in salary to cover the extra tuition costs and living expenses.
·         The salary discussion is most certainly a negotiation, and it pays to establish yourself as a valuable commodity desired by others.
·         It's all about demonstrating that you are the best person for any challenges that may exist.
·         You should continue to demonstrate your value throughout the negotiation period, by offering solutions and strategies at meetings and in follow-up e-mails.
·         It's also good to have competing offers, or at least competing conversations with prospective employers, and to let hiring managers know about it.
·         The only way you remain exciting to an employer is by giving the impression that you are dynamic and busy, that you're consulting and you have other conversations going on.
·         At the same time, applicants should be confident, but not cocky, and appear to be humble.
·         You should go to interviews well prepared to illustrate your accomplishments and your values.
·         When you start negotiating, think hard about what's most important to you, including salary and anything else, from the non-compete clause to the office where you'll sit, and what you are willing to give up, and what your make or break is. 
·         For some applicants, the size of the pay check may not be as important as vacation time.
·         Severance pay benefit is also a good negotiating item, because it costs the employer nothing up front.
·         Be sure to research your employer's policies and perks, and general compensation practices.
·         Using websites like LinkedIn can be an efficient way to get background on a company.
·         When a hiring manager asks how much you currently make, it often makes sense to use a delaying tactic, like saying, "I want to figure out if there's an opportunity for me here."
·         Or if you're coming from a low-paying job, for instance at a NGO, and want to make a lot more, you can say to the hiring manager, "I'm sure you know I'm coming from a lower-paying industry where salaries are not in line with the private sector."
·         Once you get to the salary discussion, the employer has already decided to hire you.
·         Negotiate in person whenever possible, as
there's more of a commitment.
·         It's a lot easier to get someone off the phone than to dismiss a prospective employee from office.
·         Finally, stand your ground.