Salary Negotiation Tips

The “Salary Negotiation Tips” article will answer all the questions you may have about getting a Pay Raise…

Have you ever wanted to get a salary raise but didn’t have the courage to approach your boss?

Were you afraid of being rejected, embarrassed or you didn’t want to come across as being too arrogant or egoistic?

Waiting for your boss to initiate the conversation may last an eternity and will only increase your frustration and dissatisfaction. This will eventually have a negative impact on your productivity.

The below salary negotiation tips will help you to prepare yourself for this so-called nerve-wrecking confrontation with your boss.

Salary Negotiation Tips #1 – What Are Your Strengths?

Consider the advantage you have over other workers.

This could be your expertise, achievements, interpersonal communication skills, loyalty and availability to the company. It is related to any asset that makes you an invaluable employee. Even though your boss should be aware of these attributes, it is better to remind him at the right time.

The first step to getting a salary increase is to actually deserve it.

Salary Negotiation Tips #2 – What Are Your Weaknesses?

Pinpoint all your negative characteristics that prevent you from standing out in the company and take steps to eliminate them or a least make improvements.

You may be a bit too passive or aggressive when dealing with your colleagues. You may lack faith in yourself due to low self-esteem or you may be too modest or too ostentatious as a worker. Whatever the reason, delve deeply into your mind, locate these flaws and make amendments.

The majority of people in society locate these drawbacks but, unfortunately, instead of working to improve them, they concentrate on them on a continual basis. It therefore strengthens their feeling of helplessness.

Salary Negotiation Tips #3 – How To Stand Out

Some workers prefer to do the bare minimum and will surely not stick their necks out when difficult situations arise. By keeping a low profile, you become insignificant and, sooner or later, dispensable.

Seek opportunities to prove yourself. Be willing to render more services. Cooperate with others. Be prepared to do cross-training when the necessity appears.

Do not complain! Even though I manage an international team online, it is easy to differentiate the eager and devoted workers from the ones who will circumvent. This may be the decisive factor when it comes to getting a pay raise.

Salary Negotiation Tips #4 – Timing Is Everything

Your boss does not want to be caught by surprise, especially at the wrong time. Observe how your company is evolving. Once its financial capability improves, your boss becomes more receptive and this is when you should try to set up a meeting with him.

Avoid Mondays as he is still trying to get a grip of things after the weekend.

Avoid Fridays as his brain may have already left the office for the weekend.

Make sure you get information from his personal assistant as to the most favorable time of the week. You do not want him to be concentrating on another important meeting during your salary discussion. Any time around midday would be beneficial as most bosses have the tendency to tackle their high priority tasks early in the morning. This allows them to be less tense around noon.

Be sincere and let him know that you would like to make an appointment to discuss your salary. Some people try to hide the reasons for the meeting, expecting to catch the boss off guard. This so-called strategy can backfire. Your boss also has a mind and soul and would like to contemplate on the upcoming discussion beforehand.

If you indeed deserve a salary increase, he will surely recall your input to the company’s growth. If not, your well-planned pitch will serve as a reminder.

Salary Negotiation Tips #5 – What to Wear to an Interview?

Think about how you felt when you looked scruffy. You surely felt out of place and lacked composure and self-confidence.

Now recall another situation when you were impeccably dressed. You felt strong and confident and your self-esteem rocketed. You felt like a winner. This state of mind would surely make it easier for you to convince the boss.

In addition, when you dress properly for the salary negotiation, your boss would feel that you were treating him with respect and this would make him more cooperative.

Salary Negotiation Tips #6 – Non-Verbal Communication

Maintain eye contact with your negotiation party and you will be perceived as being sincere and trustworthy. Moreover, when you maintain eye contact with someone, you automatically draw their attention and make them understand your point.

Remember, those who look at you when you are talking will acquire more information than those who look elsewhere.

During the discussion, avoid folding your arms as this portrays negativity. When you ask for something with your arms open and palms facing up, you are more likely to get it.

Salary Negotiation Tips #7 – The Seating Configuration

If possible choose the corner to corner seating position, with a 90 -degree angle between you and the boss. Like This:

The Correct Seating Configuration For a Salary Negotiation

This position denotes trust, friendliness and the will to cooperate. At the same time, the desk corner serves as the invisible barrier that gives you the feeling of security and makes you more expressive.

By choosing this position, you do not trespass your boss’s personal space. This will make everyone comfortable during the discussion.

Comfort is the first step to making good decisions.

Salary Negotiation Tips #8 – Interview Pitch

Take the time to prepare your interview pitch before the big day.

Talk about your strengths and the value you bring to the organization. Give tangible examples of your involvement, your achievements. Do not be modest. Do not be ostentatious. Be modestly ostentatious!

Let your boss know about your long term goals and what you are doing to accomplish them. By doing so, you implicitly remind him that he is investing in your growth.

Some people make the mistake of saying that they work hard or have been working in the company for so many years. However, working hard and rendering services for a long period of time do not reflect your competence.

Do not talk about your bad financial situation as this is analogous to begging. It sounds exactly like: “Help me, I’m so poor!”. Even if you succeed in getting a pay raise out of pity, you will be despised for resorting to such tools.

Behave like a loser and you eventually lose.

Behave like a winner and success is guaranteed.

Salary Negotiation Tips #9 – Speak Clearly

“He who knows what he wants will most likely achieve it. He who doesn’t know what he wants will have to take what is given to him.” – Dr. Roy Naraine, eNar Studio

If you are discussing your a salary increase, you need to know how much to ask for and be realistic when calculating.

For example, if you earn 60,000 dollars annually, it would be wise to ask for an addition 5,000 dollars annually. However, in order to sound less frightening, you can ask for 500 dollars monthly, which is the same, but has a more delicate impact on the boss.

Once you verbalize your financial needs, ask the boss what he thinks and then remain quiet and let him respond.

Some workers proclaim to the boss how much they are worth in other companies. This approach will certainly destroy the atmosphere and may lead to your immediate downfall or will put the boss in a permanent combative mood.

Salary Negotiation Tips #10 – The Follow Up

If you achieve your goal, thank your boss for accommodating. Let him know how happy you are and how much appreciated you feel.

If you do not receive the pay raise, thank your boss for taking the time to talk to you and ask what you could do to improve your performance at work.

Remember, aggression will not get you anywhere. It is better to accept rejection and still stand a chance in the future than storming out of the room.

Do not burn the elevator that will take you to the next floor…

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