• The aim of any negotiation, be it salary or whatever, is for both parties to walk away with a deal they are happy with. Remember that if you want the job it is more important to secure it than to squeeze your potential employer for every penny. You have to work with these people after all.
• Working with headhunters: If you are dealing with a headhunter, they will handle a lot of your negotiations on your behalf. He or she will be able to advise you on what sort of salary range the job should command. Do not be afraid to talk openly with your consultant about salary expectations. They can also help you from making a big mistake, either by undervaluing yourself, or by going in to negotiations with too high expectations. If you are working with a headhunter then, most of the issues or concerns of salary negotiation is handled for you.
Choose your time carefully when discussing your salary expectations
“How much are you looking for?"
• At some point you will be asked this question. The key here is that you only answer in detail when (a) your potential employer knows they want you – more than any other candidate they are talking to, and (b) you have a good view of what the possible salary (and it might be a range) on offer for this position
• But what happens if the question is asked earlier? Essentially you need to avoid providing the detail, without appearing rude, indecisive or unhelpful. Of course only you can make a judgement about what kind of response would work in your particular situation but the following are some example responses:
“What is your current package?
•Again try to avoid answering without appearing negative. Example responses that work include:
When to discuss salary
• Not until they have gotten to know you, at your best, so they can see how you stand out above the other applicants
• Not until they have gotten to know you, as completely as you can, so you can tell when they are being firm, or when they are being flexible
• Not until you've found out exactly what the job entails
• Not until they've had a chance to find out how well you match the job requirements
• Not until you're in the final interview at that place, for that job
• Not until you've decided 'I'd really like to work here'
• Not until they've said 'we want you'
• Not until they've said 'we've got to have you"
What color is your parachute, Richard N Bolles
Talking salary expectations
•When you do get to the point of being ready to talk salary expectations, here are some things to think about:
• Understand the package, not just the base salary. Make sure you know what your current package consists of so that it can be properly compared to an offer you may receive. Base salary and car allowances are easy to compare, but less easy are factors like pension schemes, share options, shares, bonuses, equity, insurance. You may want to consider speaking to a financial advisor.
• Factor in risk. The more risky the business is, the more you would expect to see an upside in your remuneration.
• Compare: Take a look at similar job roles and the packages on offer. There is nothing more powerful – and confidence building - than having good data to back you up.
• Give a range, rather than a figure. When it comes to finally presenting your salary expectations, present these as a range, with the minimum your true minimum and the maximum being 5 – 10% more. Don’t be tempted to give a larger range as it will look indecisive