If you’re job-hunting, don’t start sweating when an interviewer asks how much you would like to get paid. Be aware that salary talk might come up during your interview, so make sure you’re prepared.
Just keep these five tips from Jim Hopkinson, author
of Salary Tutor: Learn the Salary Negotiation Secrets No One
Ever Taught You, in mind, and you’re good to go!
- Defer
all specific salary talk until you know that they want you for the job.
That means evading salary questions on job applications (write
“negotiable”) and during initial screening interviews (stress the need to
learn more about the position first).
- As a
job seeker, you should never be the person who brings up salary first.
- Once
the salary question does come up, use the ‘Right Back at Ya’ method to put
the ball back in their court.
- Use
effective pauses in the conversation, as people tend to speak to fill the
silence and may divulge important information in the process.
- There
is more to a job than just salary. Remember that other benefits may also
be negotiable — a better title, more vacation, flexitime, bonuses,
education reimbursement, and paid travel to conferences.
- Remember,
salary negotiation at the start of your new job is very important, because
it will affect your future earnings. One of the main reasons why women
earn less than men is because they don’t negotiate at the start of their
new job. Keep these tips in mind when you’re interviewing.