Money matters can be awkward to discuss, particularly when it comes to negotiating your salary. If you’re looking to raise the matter with your boss or a potential new employer, there are lots of things you can do to set your request up for success. The Reader’s Digest has published a list of expert tips on the subject. We have handpicked the most useful ones and summarised them below, to kickstart your preparation process.
- Don’t trust salary websites, some of which consistently inflate the going rate.
- Think before you accept a salary. Try not to be locked into a bracket you’re not happy with early in the interview process. It’s hard to revisit the matter once you’ve accepted an amount, even informally.
- Everything is negotiable so don’t be afraid to ask for more money and better perks at interview or during your annual performance review. Know the industry standards – and specifically, standards for your region, industry, and role – when you state your case.
- Ask for more than you want to put yourself in a stronger position to negotiate.
- Only you know the right time to ask for a rise. Picking the right moment will increase your chances of success dramatically. So don’t broach the subject when your boss is having a bad hair day or when the company has just lost a major account. Avoid waiting until the formal review process is in full swing and much of HR’s budget has already been decided. Get your request in early, ideally coinciding with a major accomplishment like a new client win, or the completion of a fantastic project.
- Ask for an early performance review so that you can bring forward your first salary rise conversation from one year to six months after joining a new company, for example.
- Don’t get carried away by an overinflated ego. HR knows you’re great. But there are plenty of other fantastic candidates out there too, and no one is expendable…
ABL, your trusted recruitment partner, wishes you the very best luck at securing the salary you deserve. If you’d like any advice on this or any other recruitment-related matter, please get in touch. With over 30 years’ experience in the field, we are the industry experts and we’re here to help!
