Manjur Ahmed :
After overcoming so many obstacles in the hiring process, a job applicant finally gets to a position where he is being offered a job. Undoubtedly, this stage is one of the most critical stages where the applicant’s fate is decided. Overconfidence can certainly be a downfall at this stage. In order to seal the deal, the candidates must be humble and show his keen interest on the job offered and not be too much focused on the salary. Salary negotiations can be very tricky, one wrong move can not only shrink the salary you desire, but may also prompt the employer to withdraw the job offer altogether.
The following are some negotiation techniques, you may consider before negotiating your salary with a prospective employer.
Being honest: Successful salary negotiations depend on pure honesty. There’s no better way to see your job offer withdrawn than having a hiring manager find out you lied about your existing salary in order to score a bigger paycheck.
It’s a two way lane: If you want higher compensation, you need to demonstrate what the employer will gain in return for giving you your desired salary. You may talk about your expertise in a certain field or your wide range of experience which can help the company to grow, increase its revenue and save money in the process. This technique can justify the higher compensation you want from a potential employer.
Know when to say yes: During the salary negotiation, if the employer has made you a reasonable offer, such as, a higher salary, a good benefits package or even a better work-life balance, then consider accepting the job offer. Appearing to be greedy may make the hiring manager rethink the decision to bring you on board and may even withdraw the job offer.
Consider the intangible benefits: Salary negotiations are not always about money. It often includes some give and takes on benefits. You may focus on the intangible benefits like arranging an extra week of vacation, flexible office hours or even a regular work-from-home schedule in lieu of additional money. Consider what’s truly valuable to you and focus your negotiation in that area in order to realize your goal. In many cases, it may be less costly for the employer to give the benefits you want, which means it’s a victory for both the sides.
Let the employer make the first move: You have to let the employer make the first move in the salary negotiation. Knowing the salary range from the employer’s perspective will give you a better idea of how to adjust your negotiation plan. For example, if the employer starts at a range lower than what you expected, then you will probably have to sell yourself more in order to impress and convince them to get closer to your desired number.
Talk with your friends : Before the interview, discuss with your friends who are currently doing the job which you are going to be interviewed for. They might be able to give you valuable information and tips on how to conduct a successful salary negotiation. They were in your shoes before when they had their own job interview, so they know what the obstacles are and how to prevail over these obstacles.
Know your strengths: Try to know your strengths first. Go through your CV and identify the information which will be taken into account during the salary negotiation. Previous work experience, skills, industry specific knowledge, or even foreign languages may be the focal points of the negotiation. You have to be able to emphasize all of these focal points and explain to the employer why they are valuable for the job and the company as a whole.
Keep it realistic : While it may be tempting to ask for a higher salary range, do not ask for an astronomical figure. You have to keep it realistic, or else the negotiation may come to a halt if you cannot justify your desired higher salary. To be realistic, you have to stay within your industry’s salary range. On the other hand, it is completely fine for a candidate to aim for the higher range of the pay scale.
Take your time before making the final decision: If you are not satisfied with the job offer, it’s better to walk away from the job if the amount they are going to pay you is well below the market value and will leave you in a situation where you will have to eventually find a new job in order to live comfortably.
In conclusion, negotiating even just a little more than what was initially offered by the prospective employer makes a huge difference. Anyone with a savings account is well aware of the benefits a slight increasing salary can have. If you handle the main part of the interview well and leave a good impression, by this stage, the employer is likely to be more flexible when the time comes to discussing your future compensation. Then, why not just go for it.
(The writer is the Head of Human Resource & Administration at Grameen Telecom Trust.)
