Salary Negotiation with HR: A Simple Guide

When you are close to joining a company or all the formalities are done except the salary, then negotiation for the appropriate salary is vital and you should not shy from it. In this blog, you will get an idea of how you can negotiate salary with HR.

Sometimes people work for a long time and then feel like their salary is less or the other scenario can be when you have talked with other people in the organization and found that you are making less than them. Or, you might have got a job offer from another organization that is ready to pay you more than your current company pays. Then, all you need is to negotiate for your salary and you should not undervalue yourself.

Many people find salary negotiation a daunting prospect of their career. But there are many ways that you can negotiate for your salary. Negotiating for salary is important to find your worth in the organization.

For freshers or the people who haven’t negotiated for salary in their whole life and keep doing work for the same salary they offered, it becomes difficult for them to negotiate for the salary. However, with a basic understanding of negotiation & a firm grasp on communication, you will be able to ace your interview & negotiate with HR.

Salary Negotiation Skills You Should Know About

Feel free to talk about your salary

You should not feel heavy when you are going to negotiate for your salary. Feel comfortable talking about your salary because you are also providing your services to the organization. Be positive and make your mind clear about all the thoughts related to salary.

Always feel confident

You should feel confident even if you aren’t. Because you must value your work. You need to know what is your worth and keep in mind if they ask why only you want to negotiate your salary. Be ready with the answers to their questions.

Already prepare what to say & what to avoid

Don’t go for negotiation without preparation. You should practice what you are going to say in front of HR such that your pitch should not wobble while talking. Try to practice your pitch to be aloud which means that you are used to your rhythm to present your points in the conversation.

Stay calm when negotiating your salary

Just stay calm and show how much excited you are about the role in the organization. Try to maintain a strong professional relationship with your colleagues and superiors. Don’t blow things up when you start talking. Stay positive and calm in the negotiation process. 

Decide a salary range that you will talk about

You need to decide what salary range you are going to offer them in negotiation. Before you go to negotiate, find your worth and make a salary range that is worth according to the services you provide. For example, if you have been working in a company for a while and you feel that you deserve more salary as you may have done more certifications and advanced your skills. Make sure to tell them while negotiating how your growth can benefit them as well. 

Practice for the questions you may be asked

Before you directly go for negotiation, you want to prepare your points. And you need to prepare your answers to the questions that you expect they can ask. Try to do practice such that you should not forget the counterpoints. 

Don’t undervalue yourself

When your expected salary offer is rejected, then don’t get underconfident. Try to explain why you believe, your request for a hike in salary is true. But don’t undervalue yourself. You should also not overvalue. But find the right salary range and counter your offer to them. 

Do some research on your salary

When you go for negotiation, try to do some research before you go. You can use platforms like payscale.com or glassdoor.com to find a similar average salary paid to employees of your position in your location. Then try to figure out what salary justifies your value. After preparing all these points, it is suggested to go for negotiation.

Remember other perks like bonuses and benefits of the job

When you go for negotiation, you want to consider other benefits also such as medical coverage, insurance, bonuses, and perks which have their monetary value. List all these points when you will negotiate the salary for a new job.

Get suggestions from family, friends, and companions

Asking family, friends, and colleagues will give you additional information that can help you while negotiating. If you have experience in your field, then research your performance and find the decent salary range that you can target while negotiating. 

Be respectful

You want to be respectful all the time while talking. Always present your counterpoints with respect. And let the interviewer talk properly before you put your points to the counter. 

Finding The Perfect Salary Range

1. Find the Lower Point: Consider if you don’t have other options than the amount that you can settle on and find the lower point.
2. Find the Mid-Point: Research what people think that you can earn. Find the genuine points and conclude a mid-point.
3. Find the High Point: That’s your expected salary. The salary that will make you feel that you are satisfied or we can also say that this is your dream salary. 
4. Discard the Lower Point: You don’t need to consider the lower point as you need a hike in the salary. So forget the lower point.
5. Make your salary range between mid-point and a high point. That is the actual salary range that you can give at the time of negotiation.

How To Answer The Questions Asked By Employer In The Negotiation Process

1. Be confident all the time and your face must show off that you are confident even if you’re not. 
2. Don’t rush giving specific answers too early in the negotiation. Wait a while and think what can be the best answer. 
3. Don’t use negative words while negotiating.
4. Don’t take the negotiation process as a debate.
5. Try to build a business case of yourself in front of the employer for the return on investment of your working hours. 
6. Take some time to think about the counteroffer of an employer.
7. Let the interviewer first give you a salary range.
8. Ask the interviewer if the salary is negotiable or not.
9. Try to give your expected salary range even if it is not negotiable.
10. Stay calm and positive while answering all the questions.
11. Don’t be afraid of discussing your salary expectations.
12. If the company is not able to increase your salary, then consider non-financial perks in your benefits package. That will also be a beneficial part.

Many people take salary negotiation as a battle and get nervous while negotiating. Try to get as much as you possibly can, but make sure you do not exceed the budget of the employer. 

You should not feel anxious when considering how you will negotiate salary with the employer. Remember that at the end of the day, you are similarly as important for the organization as they are for you. Both the organization and you are on the same stage. They want your services and you want your salary. 

You should be professional, sincere, and confident while negotiating. It will help the employer consider your points with seriousness. 

Summing Up

You can use different methods for negotiation like you can send a mail to HR to tell them about the matter or you directly call them. Or else you can meet personally in the office to talk about the salary negotiation. But any of the methods will work only if you are right at your place. You need to justify your salary with your experience, education, and skills. 

If you are new to joining a company or just completed college, then it might be difficult for you to find your worth. Then the best thing you can do is to research on the internet the average salary of freshers for the position you applied for. Or else you can do is whatever the salary range they offer you, try to ask for 10% more salary to the interviewer at the time of negotiation.

Remember to discuss the benefits package as well while negotiating. The benefits package also have their monetary value, so don’t forget to discuss this at that time. Remember that it’s not only the salary that you are negotiating, it is the hard work, money, training, mentoring and education, and college fees that you spent at the time of learning. 

You can also upskill yourself to increase your chances of getting your desired salary package. It is by far the best way to kand your dream job with a handsome salary package. Go ahead and upskill yourself for free at Great Learning Academy.

Also Read: How can these free courses land you a job?