When you receive a job offer, there's one easy step for making sure it comes with the highest starting salary possible:
You ask for it.
I'm just kidding. I mean, asking for a higher starting salary is just one step, but it's anything but easy. I know because I've done it before. And when I did, I was just as nervous as you'd imagine any non-confrontational, perpetually soft-spoken twenty-something would be.
But you know what? It worked. I ended up getting a revised offer letter the next day with a noticeably larger number on it than I had received the first time.
Negotiating a starting salary is hard; it requires you to be bold but also humble, assertive but also respectful. It can be incredibly intimidating, which is why many women often avoid doing it. But the reward for effectively negotiating your salary is more than just a higher paycheck; if done correctly, it can also show your employer that you are confident, assertive, and know your worth—all qualities that many employers want in their employees.
Now, I'm not an expert, but I have been successful in negotiating a higher starting salary before accepting a job. That being said, here are the steps that I took, and what I know worked for me.
Step 1: I did my research.
Before I even began practicing my negotiating skills, I wanted to make sure that I had all of the information I needed. So, I went to Glassdoor to research typical salaries for someone with my experience doing the job I was considering.
(Ideally, I would have liked to ask someone personally, but I didn't know of anyone with that sort of experience. I definitely could have asked around, but I figured that a ballpark estimate was good enough.)
(Ideally, I would have liked to ask someone personally, but I didn't know of anyone with that sort of experience. I definitely could have asked around, but I figured that a ballpark estimate was good enough.)
Step 2: I evaluated myself (honestly).
After I had determined what kind of salary I could reasonably expect, I did an honest self-evaluation focusing on three things:
- What I brought to the table,
- How badly I needed (and wanted) the job, and
- What starting salary I could live with.
First, I made a list of all of my strengths as a job candidate, focusing mainly on my relevant experience. However, I also added my not-as-relevant experience to the list and noted how it made me uniquely valuable. I made sure my list included how each experience would help my potential employer if he hired me.
Next, I had to decide how badly I needed the job. Would I be able to walk away if he would not negotiate at all?
Finally, I had to decide what I could live with. That is, I had to decide on a point where I would be able to stop negotiating—the lowest salary that I would accept.
Step 3: I wrote down an outline.
Because I was applying for an out-of-town position, I had the luxury of writing down notes that I could use when I called my potential employer (we'll call him Gary) to discuss my starting salary. But even if I had been meeting with Gary in person, I still would have written down an outline of what I was going to say so that I could get my thoughts in order.
In the outline, I wrote down:
- How I would begin the conversation (e.g., thanking Gary for the offer and reiterating how excited I was about the position);
- All of the points I wanted to make (e.g., noting my strengths and why they would make me a valuable employee); and
- How I would end the conversation (e.g., what salary I would ask for).
Step 4: I practiced, then practiced more, then had a snack... and then practiced again.
Maybe you're a negotiating wizard, but I'm not. So I practiced. I practiced negotiating with my boyfriend, with my mom, even with my reflection in the bathroom mirror—as many people as I could so that I'd feel comfortable talking to Gary. And as soon as I thought I had it down, I practiced again. Because there's really no way I could be over-prepared for that conversation.
Step 5: I made the call.
Surprisingly, this turned out to be the easy part. Gary seemed a lot less critical than my reflection had been, and I had practiced so much that my nerves were only mildly consuming. I was still nervous, but I was also confident; while I didn't make any demands or unjustifiably toot my own horn, I was able to start a discussion about what had been offered, and why I may deserve more.
And it ended up paying off. He agreed to a higher starting salary.
tl;dr - How I Successfully Negotiated a Higher Starting Salary
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Of course, this is my personal experience; if you are happy with what's been offered or feel that you can't justify asking for more, don't trust a stranger with a blog (me) to know more than your gut feeling. But it's also worth remembering that according to a Salary.com survey, 73% of employers said that they are not offended when people negotiate, and 84% said that they always expect job applicants to negotiate salary during the interview stage.
In other words, don't let fear hold you back; know your worth, know the game, and you may be surprised at what you can accomplish.
In other words, don't let fear hold you back; know your worth, know the game, and you may be surprised at what you can accomplish.
Have you ever negotiated on a starting salary? What did you do, and did it work?
