Handling salary negotiations can be tricky. Would you laugh if someone told you to put down how much you’ve earned under each job listed on your resume? Obviously, yes.
Why on earth would you do that?
But what if an employer directly asks you to tell them how much money you made in your previous positions?
Um... excuse me?
Chances are you’ve had this happen before. This request is an all-too-often ploy used by many employers to try to force job seekers’ hands into showing their salary "cards" and effectively sweeping any negotiation power out of the candidate’s hand. Many unemployed people are afraid if they don’t "play nice" in the employer’s cat and mouse game of salary negotiation, they'll lost the job offer.
Have you experienced this at some point in your career? Then you know the drill. You are in the hot seat for an interview. Things are getting towards a definite "close" and it is clear a deal is now in the works.
Then the employer drops their bomb in an interview by casually asking, “So, what are your salary needs,” or “What are you earning currently,” . Maybe in the application process, they require you to state your salary history or requirements in your cover letter.
So, it all comes down to this moment. Time to deal the cards and start playing strategically…what you do now completely impacts your financial earnings over the course of your entire career.
So what is a job applicant to do? What are your options?
Here are five approaches you can take when it comes down to handling the thorny issue of salary negotiation. There isn’t any "perfect" way to negotiate because each situation is subjective to the company culture and the person interviewing you/making the hiring decision. But being educated about your options and also having a good "read" on the internal company environment can help provide you with the necessary business intelligence on the best way to approach this discussion.
1. Give Them What They Want
Know when the chips are down and the employer is fixated on a specific answer to the salary question. If the job opportunity truly hinges on whether you give them an answer to this question, then you have to make the decision whether to divulge your salary to give them what they want or not.
The obvious downside to providing that specific number is now you have absolutely no negotiating room whatsoever. The company knows exactly what they can "get" you for, salary-wise, and it will be very difficult to go upwards at this point. Let’s face it: most employers aren’t going to pay you a higher amount out of the sheer goodness of their hearts. Their strategy is to hire the best asset to the company for the best price possible.
2. Provide A Range
Do your research on what is a reasonable expectation for salary for the type of position for which you are applying. Then make your move by providing a similar range, with your current salary level somewhere inside that bracket. Depending on what you are willing to accept (even if it is below your most recent earning level), make sure the upper number isn’t in outer orbit… otherwise you can quickly get tossed out because of a too-high salary requirement.
3. Dodge #1: Let’s Talk Later
Until a job offer is actually on the table, any preliminary discussion of salary is actually a fishing expedition. The employer is testing the waters to see if there is a match between their salary number and yours. Proactively stepping into the discussion can work for you if you know this tactic will work. A good way of framing it up nicely: “Until a job offer is being made, I would like to request this discussion take place later... right now, I am very interested in learning more about this job and how I can help your company.”
4. Dodge #2: We’re In The Same Ballpark
Again, you can be assertive while dishing out a compliment that holds them accountable: “I am highly confident that your company offers an industry-competitive wage and with that understanding, I know we’ll be able to reach a compromise once we get into actual negotiations.”
5. Avoid The Issue
This is a tactic some people take because A) They don’t really know how to handle it or B) They assume that by avoiding it, the employer won't not notice that the applicant didn’t address the question. All of which can completely and utterly backfire. Salary numbers are absolutely going to be a hot button for an employer, and they’ll be specifically scanning for that reference mentioning your salary history in the cover letter.
The most successful tricks to negotiating your salary is being flexible, willing to negotiate on other options including benefits, having a good knowledge of what jobs of this type typically pay, and being centered on what your value is without being overconfident.
In the long run, if you take a positive, collaborative approach in negotiating your salary, chances are the employer will respond positively. Also, you’ll be happier because you kept your cards close to your chest while keeping up your poker face. It could mean a substantial long-term gain in overall career earnings if you are smart and savvy about how you negotiate your next salary.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
