Negotiating Wages When Offered a Job

From knowing what the position ought to pay to knowing how to sell yourself, there are plenty of strategies to consider when negotiating your starting pay rate.  Read on to discover 8 stellar tips to help improve your negotition skills, including some ideas of what to say (and what not to say) when discussing pay.

Negotiation Tip 1: Timing

When negotiating wages, it's important to wait until the right moment. If possible, try to hold off any conversation about compensation towards the end of the interview. You’ll want to spend a big chunk of your interview highlighting the skills that make you a valuable employee. Diving directly into wage negotiations is like pondering second date possibilities before the first! You’ll want to wait until you have a job offer secured before you start playing hard ball. 

Sometimes employers will bring up your pay expectations before the interview is complete (and before you've officially been offered the job).  Try some deflection techniques to avoid answering until you have an official job offer.  Consider using phrases like:

• "I'd prefer to wait till I have a job offer to take about that."
• "I'm hoping to learn more from you about the position during the rest of the interview, so I'm not yet sure what pay rate I'd expect."
• "I generally know what similar positions pay, but I'd like to hear your offer and we can go from there."

Negotiation Tip 2: Confidence

It’s important to know your worth when discussing pay. If you’re going into an interview, chances are your employer is already impressed with your resume, and is already considering hiring you. You have the power as a potential employee in this case. The company needs hires, and you have the labor they need. Though excessive confidence can be turbulent in a job interview, knowing your worth and power in wage negotiations is vital. You are worth the money being paid.

Negotiation Tip 3: Knowledge is Power

When you’re in an interview, often the employer will ask you what you would like your starting wage to be. In order to make an informed decision, it serves to be prepared. Answer some questions before going into the interview:

• What is the starting wage advertised with this position?
• What is the starting wage of similar positions? 

It’s good to have this information because when an interviewer asks what you’d like your wage to be, you have an idea of what the market looks like. This way, when you’re discussing wages, you know if your interviewer is lowballing your wage. 

If you aren't familiar with the typical wage range for this kind of position, take advantage of easy to use tools like salary.com to find out.  We even have a video that will walk you through how to use the most important tools on salary.com's website.

Negotiation Tip 4: Know What to Say (And What Not to Say)

When discussing, focus exclusively on the facts of the position.  Emphasize your skills and experience. Stay away from explaining why you need that money, which will be viewed as irrelevant to the value you bring to the company. 

Negotiation Tip 5: Bring Up the Competition

In a negotiation , you can bring up other job offers. State what other jobs offer clearly, and ask if they would be willing to match their wage. If not, that’s okay! There’s likely still wiggle room. If you are still interested in the position, see if they might be willing to meet you in the middle--offer a suggestion somewhere between what they are offering and what you've been offered by the competition.  

Negotiation Tip 6: Don't Give Up Too Easily

If you counter the initial offer with something significantly higher, this provides space to negotiate to an in-between point that might still be satisfactory to everyone. Offer a price a little lower, until you can come to an agreement that you’re comfortable with. Feel empowered to remind your potential employer about what you bring to the table that makes you worth investing in. 

Remember, the worst thing that could happen is the interviewer saying no. Negotiation is a normal part of accepting a job and no good employer will revoke a job offer because you try to increase your starting rate.

Negotiation Tip 7: Negotiate Other Benefits

Sometimes employers are unable to hit your expected wage range for a variety of reasons, so if you are unable to secure a higher wage in the initial interview, that’s okay! Ask your interviewer about their employee benefits, as many companies will supplement their wages with attractive benefits that might also be negotiated. For full time employees this can range from healthcare and insurance, to paid time off and extended sick days. If your employer offers paid time off, for instance, ask if they might give you two extra vacation days a year.

And don't forget: There will also be an opportunity to ask for a raise after obtaining the job. You can even ask while you are negotiating whether they would be willing to reconsider your pay rate after a period of three or six months.

Negotiation Tip 8: Ask For Time To Consider

Never feel like you need to make a decision on the spot. Its always okay to ask for some time to consider the offer.  Just be sure to clearly state how much time you need to make your decision.  Try something like: "I am grateful for the offer but would like a little time to think about it.  Can I get back to you by the end of the day tomorrow with my decision?" An informed decision is usually a good decision, so truly take some time to think about the pros and cons of accepting the position at the rate that's been offered.

Finally: Practice Makes Perfect

Like anything else, negotiation skills require practice.  Spend some time before your interview not only thinking about your budget and researching wage ranges for similar positions, but practicing how you plan to respond when offered the job. 

Consider recruiting a friend or family member to help with some role-playing. Practicing with other people can help you improve your ability to be persuasive and confident--just what you need to get the pay you deserve!

We've put together a mock negotiation video for you to check out.  Watch our model negotiation and then try these strategies out in your own practice session!

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