Question to Ask When Negotiating Your Salary

December 7, 2016 Career Tips Neha Chauhan No comments

Most people are not used to bargaining, but if you don’t bargain, you’re not going to get all you should.

To win your best salary, continue talking until you get everything you want, whether that’s a higher base.

The person on the other side of the desk is evaluating you. This is going to show you’re astute in dealing with the outside world.

When you get the offer, don’t let your guard down—you’re still on the firing line.

Feel confident, because they’ve come to you with an offer. It also tells your future employer whether you’re good at negotiating, which is a skill you can put to work for the employer once you’re hired.

Here are few questions which you should ask from employer while negotiating for salary:

Are You Open To A Salary Discussion?

Is this salary up for negotiation? This version is a little less direct and confrontational; upon hearing it, the employer may be less defensive and guarded, more open.

Also, this question sets a more relaxed tone for what will be a sensitive conversation.

Know About The Entire Package

Salary is just one part of the total compensation, albeit a very important one. Ask for the entire package. Consider the robustness of the rest of the package.

How is the medical insurance? Is it bare bones and expensive, or comprehensive with low out-of-pocket costs? Does the company offer reimbursements for education and training?

Would you get the requisite two weeks of vacation, or is the employer more or less generous? If you’re thinking about starting a family, bonus, what’s the parental leave policy?

Then there are the less quantifiable perks – relaxed dress code, flexible hours, telecommuting programs – that can make a real difference in job satisfaction.

About Salary Increase & Promotions

What’s the potential for salary increases and promotions? If there are frequent opportunities to move up in the ranks – with corresponding raises – it may still be worth it to sign on. While you’re talking money during a salary negotiation, also ask about signing and retention bonuses.

Ask About Previous Annual Raise

What was the average annual percentage raise last year? This figure can give you an idea of the kind of annual raise you might expect. If it’s healthy, you might not need to bargain quite so hard, as a good pay raise could be right around the corner; if it’s not very healthy, you may need to negotiate harder.

What percentage raise did your highest performers enjoy last year? Asking this question shows the employer that you associate yourself with winners, and it can also give you an idea of how high performance and success are rewarded at the company.

If there’s a strong positive link between performance and reward, you might settle for a lower starting salary, knowing that once you get in and prove yourself, your salary will be boosted.

Ask For Next Raise

You can ask for, when would my pay be reviewed next? If the employer can’t give you a clear and precise picture of when your next pay review or raise might be, there’s a chance you could be stuck with your starting salary for some time.

Considering this uncertainty about your next raise, you might be justified in wanting to drive a harder bargain with your starting salary.

Before you formally accept a position, get the final details of your negotiated wages and benefits on paper; verbal agreements are far less binding than written ones.

Ask for all the details on bonuses, perks, work hours and so forth, and review them carefully before formally signing on.

A salary negotiation can be stressful, but it’s an important part of the job search – one that will have repercussions for the rest of your career. Enter for the negotiation with a positive attitude and the right questions, and you could reap the benefits for years to come.

Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash (Free for commercial use)