How do I negotiate for a higher salary..

17 Comments

1. AnonymousJune 7,2023 at 12:57PM UTC

   Try to get a salary report on salary.com or something similar. You'll be able to enter your specific qualifications, education, etc. and see where that places you, in your area. I'd bring this with you to aid in a counter offer.

2. Afo Ogbeyalu KaluJune 7,2023 at 12:58PM UTC

   Go to Salary.com, or similar sites, to determine if the salary being offered is within the market rate.
   If it is not, determine if the benefits package makes up for the discrepancy. If it does not, stress your qualifications, years of experience, continuing education, and any value-add which you feel you have over other potential candidates. Apply for similar roles at other companies. If you happen to get an offer elsewhere, use that as a bargaining chip if you wish to stay with your current organization. Best of luck!

3. AnonymousJune 7,2023 at 1:00PM UTC

   I did this: took an internal where I agreed to a lower salary than I thought I should be getting. I have been able to negotiate upward, but it's taken several years (and I'm in HR and have access to compensation tools). I don't recommend doing what I did.

   Look online and see if you can find the range for similar roles in your area with similar sized companies. And ask what the salary range for the role would be if it was posted. You deserve to be paid fairly, so go ahead and ask.

   Best of luck!

4. AnonymousJune 7,2023 at 1:13PM UTC

   If you can document your market value, backing up a request with that documentation will help your cause.

5. Shelly EdwardsJune 7,2023 at 1:19PM UTC

   Take it from HR and go with facts. Don’t go in talking about why you need more money. Go in talking about why you deserve more money. Research the market value for your position in your area and know the base worth. Then have a list of contributions you have made recently and things you do that are above and beyond your job. Focus on your contributions and what you bring to the company without talking about personal need and you should find success in your request. Good luck’

6. MARI S PHONASA, CPSM & CPSDJune 7,2023 at 2:19PM UTC

   Agree with this approach outlined by Shelly Edwards. I would do all that and start off by thanking them wholeheartedly for their offer and state it is lower than you would like. And pause - silence is golden. Then make sure you are prepared to talk towards your most recent contributions that lends towards making your argument for a higher salary. Be prepared with a number in mind you will accept or walk away from. You have to be prepared to walk away, if not, come up with the number you are willing to accept and live with. I would never bring up what others before you have received. Its not about them, its about you and what you feel you are worth.

   And if possible, do a role-play with a trusted friend or family member to make sure your tone and body language is agreeable and calm.

7. AnonymousJune 7,2023 at 2:45PM UTC

   I would write a detailed job breakdown on the work and assessment of the higher skills needed.

   I would include market info on thar new level of position and the associated salary/bonus level.

   You need to be very detailed in your approach so that you convey your market value. Most of this info may be found online.

8. Joyce Breitweiser HallJune 7,2023 at 3:20PM UTC

   Most hiring managers expect some negotiation over salary. Acceptance of the first offer may be interpreted as a lack of confidence in yourself and your abilities and set you up for being a pushover. I agree with the other comments that you should go in with data to back up your value and ask for more.

9. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJune 8,2023 at 2:37AM UTC

   So market data can be helpful but in the end it doesn't really matter. What matters is the salary band for your company for that position for your location.

   Try to find out what the salary range for the position is. Depending on what city/state you live in, they may be required to provide that information. New Pay Transparency Laws went into effect in some locations January 1 and others were in place already. It's required for those locations to be in the job posting if the job is posted.

   YOU SAID: "I am going to be offered a new position that will essentially be a promotion, but onto another team. "

   Does that mean that you've already interviewed for this position? If so, why has compensation not come up in discussion already? I speak about comp on every first call I have with a candidate.

   YOU SAID: "For once I want to feel like I'm being paid at the top of the salary range or near the top of the salary range for the position."

   At virtually every company I have ever worked for, offers do not go out at the top of the salary range. Some companies are more strict that others but typically the mid-point of the range is the target for experienced candidates. If they brought you in at the top of the salary range, what are they supposed to do for raises for the next five years you're in that position?

   Once you find out the parameters of the salary band, you will have a better idea what a fair offer for you would look like. If you can't get to where you want to be on the base, see if they're open to a sign-on bonus. The downside of that is your next raise is going to be based on what you're making so that sign on bonus won't figure into it.

   Two pieces of advice: First, you need to get over being uncomfortable with discussing compensation. To recruiters it's just another question like how many years of project management experience do you have.

   Second, you need to make discussing compensation a priority. It always needs to be discussed in your first - and if not first, absolutely second - conversation about the position. Bringing it up early lets them know it's important to you and hopefully makes them less likely to jerk you around. If they don't bring it up (which they should), you need to.

   Once they present the verbal offer to you - NOW is the time to negotiate if you are so inclined. If you're not happy with the offer, I recommend asking something along the lines of "is there any wiggle room here" or "can you do better on this offer?". Some companies present their best offer right off the bat. If there's no room for negotiation, you should know that before you try to negotiate. And I'm not trying to discourage anyone from trying to negotiate a better salary but know that I have seen candidates negotiate themselves right out of an offer.

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

   GOOD LUCK and keep us posted.

10. AnonymousJune 8,2023 at 11:43AM UTC

    Caution you that going into a new position that you are automatically a subject matter expert. You need to allow yourself time to learn and grow in that new position. Yes, a raise is warranted with promotions, if it is a promotion and not a lateral move due to job profile within your company. That is an important thing to always ask, "Is this a lateral move or would it be considered in our company organization a promotion?". Market research is great, not always reliable, so there's truth in the middle, IMO. Get more $$ but realism with wanting top paid will set you up for more frustration. Don't discount yourself that you're not worth more, you are, and you have worked hard. Not trying to bust a balloon of excitement. Become that subject matter expert, LOVE that for you!! One question is common, 'When was the last time your company did a market adjustment on their wages", that is an intuitive question. Congratulations on all your hard work! Keep it Going!

11. AnonymousJune 8,2023 at 1:10PM UTC

    See if you can find out what the normal salary level for that position is graded at at your company, and ask for midpoint of that range.

12. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachJune 8,2023 at 1:21PM UTC

    Typically hires are made at the midpoint of a range. If your research indicates the salary offered is lower than it should be, absolutely negotiate (you should always try!). Be fact based, share your data and most importantly reiterate what makes you worth it. Good luck.

13. Cher GoodchildJune 8,2023 at 2:06PM UTC

    Be Vulcan. Go into that meeting with market reports that show the salary range for your area, your skillset, and your years of experience. Your performance reviews are your backup. Take all of the emotion out of the conversation and have an outline of the facts in your head. I did this a few years back. I kept getting blown off so I printed everything I could find and showed that the range was $XX to $XX for someone in my job, my location, and with at least 5 years experience in the field. I had 20. I'm really good at what I do, I have a great work ethic, I had stellar reviews, and I was getting paid 2K below the bottom number in that range. It was nearly impossible to argue the point and I got a raise. YOU CAN DO THIS!

14. AnonymousJune 8,2023 at 2:18PM UTC

    Remind yourself that the less you take the more it will impact your future. If you do not start fighting for yourself now, when will you? Women of color make less than almost everyone else for the same job and this impacts your quality of life now, your ability to save for retirement, and your ability to save for anything. You have to fight now to improve your future salary and your future period.

15. Brenda AlvaradoJune 8,2023 at 5:40PM UTC

    Remember: Know your worth!

16. AnonymousJune 8,2023 at 7:48PM UTC

    You could ask to understand where you rank in terms of level and experience against others of similar edu/work as you in the team you are joining. If you work at a larger company they may cap the amount that they are allowed to raise you up in a time frame. If you frame it against other companies outside as well and provide perhaps a graph or some data as to why you deserve and want more then that may also help. You know the folks who ask for what they want often get it. Let them know your expectations before they give you the details and the why and perhaps you will be surprised. I do realize that POC often get a raw deal here. I once advocated for a person I was hiring into my team and the Exec VP was a POC as well and she asked me to lowball the person and offer them less and I said absolutely not. I refused and gave her the data and put my own job on the line to support that hire. She ended up acquiescing to the offer and the gal I hired ended up being the best performer on our team. If you are worth it ask for it! You deserve it. Let your manager know you want their support as well.

17. Beth DaniellJune 9,2023 at 11:00PM UTC

    There's some great advice about seeing what you can find at your company and in the overall marketplace. If they still don't want to come up, have a plan B like asking what it would take to step up in that position. Try and set the next evaluation and agree to metrics that you can work towards and see incremental increases. It's unnerving and the only cure is to do it. Practice with a friend or someone who also works for the same manager. Best of luck!