Are you looking for a job and preparing for a job interview? You must be wondering how to negotiate your salary.
Are you looking for a job and preparing for a famous job interview? So, you must wonder how to negotiate his salary, especially if it is a first job.
When to negotiate your starting salary?
Salary negotiation is always a delicate subject to discuss, but it is nevertheless essential if you want fair compensation for yourself following your skills. However, it is important to do it at the right time. For this, certain rules must be known:
- Never start a salary negotiation during the first interview. You can give your salary expectations, but the negotiation must take place afterward if a second interview is planned. The employer uses this first contact to know you better and to know if your skills, soft skills, and experience are adequate for the position to be filled. For you, too, it’s also an opportunity to get to know the company and the position better!
- Regarding your salary expectations, you have two options: either you wait for the recruiter to ask you, usually at the end of the interview, or you ask when, for example, the person asks you if you have any issues. Above all, don’t be afraid to bring up the subject, the remuneration is indeed the counterpart of your work, so it is completely normal to talk about it.
To address this burning question, you can use phrases like:
“Regarding compensation, what is the salary range for this position? »
“What compensation do you envisage for this position? »
This way, you will know from the first interview what to expect, which brings us to the next point, which is fundamental to negotiating your salary.
Define a salary range in advance
Before negotiating your salary on hiring, it is still necessary to know the remuneration practiced in your profession, sector, and region, and this is according to your experience. This will allow you later to negotiate confidently about what you can ask for. You will also be able to know from the first job interview if the recruiter gives you a salary range it corresponds to “market” prices. In any case, be aware that the amounts are expressed in gross and generally over a year.
How to know its value in the job market?
To answer this question, you can:
- Use simulators like Glassford’s
- View salary studies like Michael Page’s
- Ask your university or school for a salary grid for former students
- Ask groups of professionals in your sector on social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
- If you know people working in the same sector, do not hesitate to ask them about their salary.
Next, you will need to consider not only your level of experience but also the area where you live. Indeed, the higher the standard of living, the higher the salary.
Count, for example, about 10% difference between an executive salary in the Paris region and in the provinces.
Finally, do not forget the extras other than the salary, which are part of the advantages to be taken into account:
- 13th month
- Profit-sharing or participation
- Company savings plan, employee shareholding
- Tickets-restaurant
- Car or company computer
Once you have established an average salary, you must calculate a salary range around this figure, counting a 3000 to 5000€ difference. Be careful; the low range should be the non-negotiable minimum for which you will be ready to accept this position. Do not be afraid to always increase your salary expectations, even if it means revising them downwards later because that is what will surely happen during the negotiation!
Our tip: Never offer too low a salary, as this may give the employer the idea that you are not aware of the importance of the position in question or of your own skills!
Do not hesitate to negotiate your salary.
Let’s get to the heart of the matter: the negotiation itself. It often comes in at the second interview, when the employer is interested in your application. You have therefore given your salary expectations, defended your skills and experience, and shown that you understand the position’s responsibilities.
Here are some other things you can use to negotiate your salary to your advantage. Without getting into a balance of power that could prove harmful, do not be afraid to address these points because they are legitimate:
- Let the recruiter know if you have other job offers with higher salaries. If he is really interested in your candidacy, he could adjust his proposal!
- Write down the strengths you bring to the company, and back them up with hard facts, if possible. Are you going to allow them to earn revenue? To avoid losses? To develop their notoriety? To use your contacts, skills, etc.?
- Also, identify your “flaws” and prepare a counter-argument. For example, suppose you have no experience in the company’s business sector but are experienced in the position in question. In that case, you can highlight your ability to adapt and learn, in addition to relying on your “technical” qualifications.
Remain open to discussion during salary negotiations
While it’s important to negotiate your salary well, don’t get mad if the employer offers you a lower salary than you expected. Other non-financial elements may also be taken into account in the employer’s hiring proposal:
- The number of days off and RTT
- Teleworking days granted or not.
- Flexible hours, etc.
This can thus justify a slightly lower salary because it will make your life more comfortable. Think about it!
How to negotiate your first salary
If you are a recent graduate, the question of salary is all the more difficult to address as you will not necessarily feel legitimate to negotiate. However, do not forget that if the recruiter has selected you for a job interview, it is because your profile interests him. After following the advice given above, we also recommend that you:
- To highlight your specific skills (mastery of particular software, a language, etc.) as well as your interpersonal skills if you do not have a lot of experience.
- To negotiate benefits other than financial if you see that the discussion is closed: 13th month, profit-sharing, etc.
- To ask if evolution is possible in your responsibilities. Because who says more important responsibilities, says higher salary!
Negotiating your first hiring salary also shows the recruiter that you know your worth and are not afraid to take the initiative, which is necessarily a positive point when you come out of the school benches!
How to Negotiate Your Salary During a Promotion
Did you get a promotion? First of all, congratulations! Before accepting, don’t forget to negotiate your annual salary. A promotion generally entails more responsibilities, so it is normal for you to negotiate your salary upwards.
But this is not the only argument to be made to obtain a salary increase.
Indeed, you can first make a list of the objectives you achieved, your successes, and what it has brought to the company.
Then, if you have more tasks to perform or responsibilities, list them so you can use them as an argument in your favor to justify a raise.
Be careful, however, to take into account the economic and social situation, as well as the health of the company, in order to negotiate a realistic salary, increase!
