Negotiate Salary Successfully

To negotiate salary successfully you need to support your best interests at every stage of the job getting process.

A basic negotiating tactic involves delaying the actual give and take of negotiation until your leverage is greatest. Learn how to answer questions about salary history and/or salary requirements at each point in the hiring process to maximize success.

From the Job Seeker's perspective there are two primary reasons to address the pay issue.

• To make sure the pay range you desire is within the company's hiring range. So if not you can avoid wasting valuable time on that prospective opening.

• To establish your expectations for the job offer.

Consider 5 Common Scenarios

• Scenario #1
  As you're reading a job posting on Monster.com you're becoming more and more excited. This job was made to order. A perfect fit. You eagerly scan the position requirements. Education required -- check. Computer skills required --check. Years of specific skills required -- check!

  Then you get to the bottom of the page and see this statement. "Apply to this opening with your resume and salary history. Resumes without a salary history will not be read." As a savvy job seeker you know this is way too soon to begin the salary discussion. What do you do now?
  
  

• Scenario #2
  A Human Resources Rep calls to talk with you about your resume. During the conversation she asks, "What are you looking for in the way of pay?"

  This is the point in the job getting process where you want to make sure the company is willing to pay what you want to earn. How do you do that without showing too much of your hand too soon?

• Scenario #3
  You sit down to fill out an employment application and there in the employment history section you're asked to list your rate of pay at each position. I've said elsewhere on this site that filling out the application completely will give you an edge. What do you do with these blanks for salary to maintain both your edge and your negotiating leverage?
  
  
• Scenario #4
  You just sat down for an interview with the hiring manager. After giving you a brief overview of the position she asks, "What kind of salary are you expecting?" How do you put off this discussion until it's to your advantage to address it?

• Scenario #5
  You've spent the last 45 minutes with the hiring manager and done a good job of helping her see how your unique talents and experience fit with her opening. This is the point in the process where you actually want to get questions about your salary requirements. Those questions are a strong buying signal. How do you communicate your expectations in a way that results in the highest possible offer without losing out to less expensive candidates?

To learn more about how to negotiate salary successfully follow the links in the questions above. You'll find suggestions and strategies designed to help you evaluate the risks and rewards of possible responses for each scenario.