What are some rules of thumb re: salary negotiation?

[Anonymous]

I am fairly certain that I will be offered a new job by a place I have been interviewing with. What percentage should I aim to increase my salary by?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Do you have any sense of what the salary range is for the position? Do you have any friends or even acquaintances that work there? That is what the limit is, really, what they've budgeted for the position, as well as what your peers/coworkers make at the company. (you can't be too much higher than them usually).

go on glassdoor.com to see if there are any positions at the company that have their salary range posted.

try NOT to reveal your current salary (it's almost irrelevant, but they will try to make it relevant in the negotiations). Say that your current employer would like you to keep your salary information private. If they keep pressing, just say, look, what is the salary range for the position I'm applying for? Are you offering me the role? etc...

Also, try NOT to be the first one to throw out a figure/number. Let them make an offer to you.

ALWAYS say you need a day or two to think about the first offer and then get off the phone, so you don't say anything stupid. Think about it in terms of salary, bonus, benefits (# weeks off, 401k, everything), and flexibility/working from home/commuting aspects. Use these aspects in your negotation when you ask for more than the first offer (which you are going to do).

Good luck!!!!! Remember, $5-10k more is a lot to you but NOT a lot to a company.

[Anonymous]

DH just was offered a new job (thankfully our unemployment is over- before this new baby comes-yay!!!!). He talked to people he knew in the company on a confidential basis (not involved in his hiring) as well as outside in his field. He found out that their offer was pretty high as it was--it was higher than the ending salary of the previous person in the position (after 5 plus years of being there). He asked for 10 k more (which is somewhere around 8 percent of the total salary) , they came back with 6 k more, and also another week of vacation (3o t 4o weeks). Knowing that his offer was pretty decent as it was, he didn't pursue it after that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any sense of what the salary range is for the position? Do you have any friends or even acquaintances that work there? That is what the limit is, really, what they've budgeted for the position, as well as what your peers/coworkers make at the company. (you can't be too much higher than them usually).

go on glassdoor.com to see if there are any positions at the company that have their salary range posted.

try NOT to reveal your current salary (it's almost irrelevant, but they will try to make it relevant in the negotiations). Say that your current employer would like you to keep your salary information private. If they keep pressing, just say, look, what is the salary range for the position I'm applying for? Are you offering me the role? etc...

Also, try NOT to be the first one to throw out a figure/number. Let them make an offer to you.

ALWAYS say you need a day or two to think about the first offer and then get off the phone, so you don't say anything stupid. Think about it in terms of salary, bonus, benefits (# weeks off, 401k, everything), and flexibility/working from home/commuting aspects. Use these aspects in your negotation when you ask for more than the first offer (which you are going to do).

Good luck!!!!! Remember, $5-10k more is a lot to you but NOT a lot to a company.

OP - Thanks so much for your advice. It is really helpful. I suspect that my current salary is on the high end for them. That being said, the person that I spoke with told me that they pay "pretty well" and they would "match and improve" what I am currently getting. Given that, after they make an offer (assuming it is on the low side), would it be wrong for me to bring up my current salary and state that I had hoped for an increase on that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any sense of what the salary range is for the position? Do you have any friends or even acquaintances that work there? That is what the limit is, really, what they've budgeted for the position, as well as what your peers/coworkers make at the company. (you can't be too much higher than them usually).

go on glassdoor.com to see if there are any positions at the company that have their salary range posted.

try NOT to reveal your current salary (it's almost irrelevant, but they will try to make it relevant in the negotiations). Say that your current employer would like you to keep your salary information private. If they keep pressing, just say, look, what is the salary range for the position I'm applying for? Are you offering me the role? etc...

Also, try NOT to be the first one to throw out a figure/number. Let them make an offer to you.

ALWAYS say you need a day or two to think about the first offer and then get off the phone, so you don't say anything stupid. Think about it in terms of salary, bonus, benefits (# weeks off, 401k, everything), and flexibility/working from home/commuting aspects. Use these aspects in your negotation when you ask for more than the first offer (which you are going to do).

Good luck!!!!! Remember, $5-10k more is a lot to you but NOT a lot to a company.

OP - Thanks so much for your advice. It is really helpful. I suspect that my current salary is on the high end for them. That being said, the person that I spoke with told me that they pay "pretty well" and they would "match and improve" what I am currently getting. Given that, after they make an offer (assuming it is on the low side), would it be wrong for me to bring up my current salary and state that I had hoped for an increase on that?

Sorry... I meant to say, this is the OP and then thank the PP for his/her advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH just was offered a new job (thankfully our unemployment is over- before this new baby comes-yay!!!!). He talked to people he knew in the company on a confidential basis (not involved in his hiring) as well as outside in his field. He found out that their offer was pretty high as it was--it was higher than the ending salary of the previous person in the position (after 5 plus years of being there). He asked for 10 k more (which is somewhere around 8 percent of the total salary) , they came back with 6 k more, and also another week of vacation (3o t 4o weeks). Knowing that his offer was pretty decent as it was, he didn't pursue it after that.

OP here - Thanks so much. It sounds like it worked out great. Hopefully I will follow your husband's path on this. SASHA

[Anonymous]

if you could, stick with the # of what you want, not what you are currently getting.

i find the PP whose husband knew an offer was good - and still asked for more -- very fascinating. another classic example of why men get paid more. because they advocate for more.

my personal tactic is to ask for salary in a range. make your "real" ask the bottom part of the range, but putting in the high part makes it seem more like they have to meet you higher. (i.e. door-in-the-face technique)

[Anonymous]

I always ask for a range, but say I am looking at the total compensation package. For example, is parking included? How much is the retirement contribution? How much leave? Those are all things that factor into a job.

A few years back, I went from a job with free parking and a 10% match on my 403b to one with just a 7% match and I had to pay $80/month in parking. Both of those were factors in my overall compensation requirements. I ended up getting a significant jump in pay, but I had to factor in that I'd be getting less in other areas.

[Anonymous]

OP you have received good advice but I would consider that your current compensation package might work to your advantage in negotiations so think carefully about your total comp which should include salary, benefits, benefit costs, vacation/pto and employer match/vesting schedule for your retirement plan. I worked as a corporate recruiter and we used a spreadsheet to determine our offers based not only on salary range but on the candidate's compensation package. If you are in a competitive field don't assume that the new employer is trying to screw you over, they might need information so they can try to "land" you.

I have a good friend who revealed absolutely everything, after an offer but before negotiating a sweet deal at a major sports company. He revealed how much they would need to give him in order for him to make the move.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you have received good advice but I would consider that your current compensation package might work to your advantage in negotiations so think carefully about your total comp which should include salary, benefits, benefit costs, vacation/pto and employer match/vesting schedule for your retirement plan. I worked as a corporate recruiter and we used a spreadsheet to determine our offers based not only on salary range but on the candidate's compensation package. If you are in a competitive field don't assume that the new employer is trying to screw you over, they might need information so they can try to "land" you.

I have a good friend who revealed absolutely everything, after an offer but before negotiating a sweet deal at a major sports company. He revealed how much they would need to give him in order for him to make the move.

Good luck.

OP here - Thank you so much. This is also very helpful. In my current position I have 6 weeks of paid vacation time and basically unlimited sick time. The new position, while great, will represent a significant reduction in paid leave. This is something I will bring up when negotiating. Should I actually attribute a monetary value to it (e.g. 4 weeks less of leave = the equivalent of 4 weeks of my current salary)?

[Anonymous]

I liked this article from the Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704895204575320881220191998.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I liked this article from the Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704895204575320881220191998.html

This is the OP. That was a really great article. Excellent suggestions. Thank you so much for sharing it.