Salary Negotiation 101
Salary Negotiation 101: Whether you are negotiating an initial offer for a new job or requesting a raise in your current job, it is absolutely crucial to plan your strategy.
Research and assess the market rate for your occupation and location; use reliable sources such as salary.com, payscale.com or the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Craft 3-5 value statements (accomplishments + skills) that you will use to articulate the value you bring to the organization during your negotiation.
Prepare your strategy by practicing 'the ask' - rehearse sharing your value statements, state your target salary range, and anticipate how you will counter any potential objections your employer may raise. Consider alternative benefits you can negotiate if they are not able to meet your salary requests.
What can you negotiate besides salary?
Sometimes there is truly no wiggle room with salary (trust me, I worked in education, I get it). So let's get creative and talk about alternative benefits you can negotiate!
New Hire Perks: Signing bonus, relocation bonus/moving expenses, guaranteed severance package
Traditional Benefits: Additional vacation time, family leave time
Professional Development: Funds for conferences, coaching, certifications, tuition reimbursement
Occupational Benefits: Title change, responsibility/role change, specific project opportunities
Lifestyle Benefits: Flex time, remote work, gym memberships/discounts, cell phone plan, transportation reimbursement
Lastly, I highly recommend the free negotiation course offered by AAUW called 'Work Smart and Start Smart: Salary Negotiation'. It is jam-packed with strategies, sample language, and resources to help you earn what you deserve!
