How to negotiate salary during a job interview
The salary negotiation process can be stressful for both you and your potential employer. It's important to remember that if you don't ask for what you want, no one will give it to you. If you're prepared with a strong script and knowledge of what your skills are worth in the current labor market, then negotiating during an interview will be easier than ever before.
Figure out what salary you want before the interview.
The first thing you need to do is research the market value of the job, as well as your own value. Knowing what others in similar positions are earning is crucial in negotiating salary.
The second step is figuring out what you want to earn compared to other opportunities. This can be difficult because it means calculating how much money you might make by accepting another position or by staying where you are now and asking for a raise later on down the line (if possible).
Prepare your case for why you deserve more money.
The key to a successful salary negotiation is preparing a case for why you deserve more money. You can use this "why" as the basis for your negotiations, but remember that it's not the only thing that matters. Your personality, background, and fit for the company are also important factors.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
- What makes me such an ideal candidate for this job?
- What makes me a good fit for this company?
- How do my skills and experience match up with what's required of me in terms of tasks and responsibilities? Have I done any projects similar to what they need done at their organization? If so, how did they turn out (did they increase morale or bring in revenue)?
Be prepared to compromise and negotiate.
Negotiating your salary is one of the most important things you can do during a job interview. If you're not prepared to negotiate, you'll probably end up accepting whatever figure your interviewer offers. And if it's too low, then you'll be stuck with that salary for years to come—and possibly even have difficulty finding another job in this economy.
I've met many people who were afraid to ask for more money because they thought they wouldn't get it or that their request would offend their future boss (or both). But as someone who has been on both sides of this negotiation table many times over the years, I can tell you from firsthand experience: People love when someone asks for more money! It shows confidence and initiative on your part; plus, it shows them what kind of person you are—someone who knows what he or she wants out of life and isn't afraid to go after it! In other words: Just ask! You might be surprised by how well things go when this happens...
Practice your negotiation script in front of a mirror or with friends.
Practice your negotiation script in front of a mirror or with friends. Practice, practice, and practice some more! The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to confidently deliver your pitch in an interview setting. If you can get comfortable with what you're going to say before the interview begins, then it'll be much less likely that your nerves will derail your confidence during the actual interview.
Practice with family or friends at home who are willing to help coach you through this process. If possible, find someone who's worked as a recruiter before so that they have experience interviewing people and can give helpful tips on how best to negotiate salary during an interview. If there isn't anyone available (or if they don’t know anything about salary negotiation), try looking online for videos that explain how effective negotiation works well enough that even someone who’s never negotiated before could do it successfully—and then use those videos when practicing with family members or friends who will offer feedback on whether or not what they're saying sounds natural!
Keep quiet about your current income if possible.
If you’re able to keep your current salary a secret, do it!
- If you share your current salary with the interviewer, they will be able to determine how much they can afford to pay you. This could put them in the position of having to choose between hiring someone who is worth more than they can offer or not hiring someone who is worth more than they can offer.
- Sharing your current salary also creates the perception that all other candidates are worth less than what they currently earn and that this person has no room for growth in their career or life experience (which may not be true).
Offer a target range, not just one number.
It's a good idea to offer a range, not just one number. After all, your minimum salary requirements may be higher than the company's minimum salary requirements are comfortable with. On the other hand, if you're asking for too much above what they're willing to pay (especially if you've been unemployed for some time), there's not much incentive for them to raise their offer at all.
So even though they might want a specific number from you and it might seem like they want the number in writing right now, don't give it up too easily! Instead:
- Offer a target range instead of one specific number. You can say something like "I'm looking for somewhere between $50K and $60K." or "I would expect an annual salary of between $50K and $60K". This will give both parties room to negotiate without committing yourself immediately on either end of your desired salary range (which is typically going to be somewhere in the middle). It also allows them room to negotiate up or down depending on whether any other factors—like location—come into play later on.
You don't have to give away your current salary when negotiating a new offer.
The first thing you should know is that negotiating a salary is a two-way street. When you're interviewing for a job, it can be tempting to try and figure out what the company will pay you based on your current salary, but that's not always the best way to go about things. You may have been making more money at your last job than the employer of your dream would offer. That doesn't mean you should give away that information when negotiating with them!
If they tell you they want $30K per year, say something like: "That seems fair." They'll probably ask if this is too low for what you want to make; in response, just say something like: "I'm open to discussing my exact salary requirements once we've had time to review my background and experience." If they ask for details about how much money has been made in sales per year or similar metrics, tell them it's too early in the process to discuss numbers yet because there are many factors (like market conditions) which impact those figures as well as personal performance metrics such as sales quotas set by management teams within companies where employees are located geographically across various regions within North America."
Negotiating can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be if you're prepared.
Negotiating your salary isn't always an easy or enjoyable task, but it doesn't have to be as stressful as you may think. Below are some tips for negotiating your salary during a job interview that will help lower the stakes and get you closer to the salary range you deserve.
- Practice your negotiation script. Before heading into any job interview, practice what you plan on saying about salary in front of a mirror or with a friend—the more comfortable you feel with this dialogue, the better! When practicing this script, stay away from phrases like “I want x amount of dollars per year” and instead try talking about how much money would be ideal for your situation (e.g., “I'm looking for $50k-70k/year”). Asking for too much too soon can come across as greedy or unrealistic and can make employers reluctant to negotiate further with you later on down the line.
- Be polite but firm when declining offers during interviews if they're lowballing: "I just need a little more information before I decide." If possible, tell them what numbers would work instead so that they know where their offer falls short at first glance rather than having them guess based solely on intuition (which could lead them astray). This way there won't be any confusion around whether or not their offer is acceptable—and once again shows confidence without being demanding!
Conclusion
Remember, if you're prepared and have done your research, negotiating salary during a job interview should be easy. You don't have to jump at the first offer that comes your way. If you keep these tips in mind, you'll be able to negotiate a good salary offer from any company.
Posted: 11/30/2022
The only jobs I ever get interviews with are the ones from my Grazily search profiles.