Thread by @hannytalker

A recruiter approaches you and asks for your current salary, what do you say?

What is your salary expectation?

You would like to negotiate but don’t know what to say?

A thread

Learning to foster conversations about compensation is a vital skill that yields rewards.

Salary negotiation conversations can make or break discussions. But I need you to understand certain things first.

The essence of this thread is not to give you a scripted response but to arm you with the right information to build your confidence during salary negotiations.

The fact that you are been interviewed for a role is because you appear to be a qualified candidate, and they need you.

However, you must understand also that when negotiating salary the company would like to get a good deal for themselves. It's a business, not a charity.

You should look out for yourself through the process.

If they pass because you won’t acquiesce, that’s a red flag.

What is your salary expectation? Very tricky. If you underestimate what they’re willing to pay, you will be leaving money on the table.

If you overestimate

you could disqualify yourself by being “too expensive” for them and they may just move on to other candidates with lower salary expectations.

How then do I strike a balance? If you don't want the interview team to know your salary, so they don't use it as their starting point,

you could use a range. Currently, I earn between 50-300k and I will be more comfortable if we settle at 350k as I feel that amount reflects the importance and expectations of the position as well as my qualifications and experience as they relate to this particular position.

They are most likely to propose a figure between your base salary and your expectation. Let's say they offer you 250k but between you and me, your current salary is 100k. You can say ‘If you can do 260k, I’m in!’

If they are not willing to shift ground then you can negotiate on benefit. You can say, ‘I understand the best you can do is 250k however if you can offer flexible work time, work from home or sign-on bonus then I am in.

I know some of you have never heard of a sign-on bonus.

It is a lump sum amount you are paid upfront before you start work.

Let me add here that as these conversations get interesting temptation might set in but I advise you not to get greedy.

Another angle.

Having a good amount of information about the market rates, can avoid

discussions centering on opinion or emotion. Of course, situations vary and industry averages are just a guide, but it's generally better to have some external perspective than to approach pay and earnings issues in complete isolation.

It is important always to recognise the

difference between the value of the role(If it directly impacts profitability) that you are being interviewed for and your value as an individual. The two are not the same.

You could have a very high potential value, but if your role does not enable you to perform to

your fullest extent then your reward level will be suppressed.

Let me leak a secret.

The best time to negotiate salary is after receiving a job offer, and before you accept it - at the point when the employer clearly wants you for the job, and is keen to have your acceptance

of the job offer. Your bargaining power in real terms, and psychologically, is strongest at this point.

We won't be able to complete this thread today as it is a lot but let me leave you with this.

In an event that an employer cannot give you what you asked for but has made a promise to increase your pay subject to completing probation within a time frame let them put it in writing. Ensure they avoid the insertion of 'satisfactory' (describing the period of service)

as this can never actually be measured and therefore fails to provide certainty that the raise will be given.

I hope you have learnt something