Salary Expectation & Negotiation: A Perspective

Money, get away. Get a good job with more pay and you’re okay. – Pink Floyd “Money” (1973)

In today’s society, almost everyone needs some money. Most feel like they either want or need more, and our jobs are usually the biggest source of income. For many years if you stayed at a job you could expect annual pay increases by working hard, being reliable, etc. and promotions were held up as a carrot.

When thinking about how much you get paid (hourly or salary) it is important to consider the value of the benefits that come with the job. The most obvious is health insurance, but there can be others like paid vacation, paid sick time, maternity/paternity leave, retirement contributions, etc. Depending on the benefits package this can have a value of 10%-25% of your regular pay. Make sure you understand the value of benefits. Many companies now provide this information as a standard practice.

If you have a job and you want a raise, it’s important that you demonstrate and quantify your value, and ask the right person at the right time. This means that your chances of getting a raise will go up if you can show how much money you have made the company either by increasing sales or reducing expenses. You may deserve a raise based on time on the job and dependability, but that is less likely to be enough on its own. Asking at the right time is also crucial. Pay attention to what is going on in the company. Is the company growing or shrinking? Are sales up or down? Has next year’s budget set or is it still in the works? It is hard to be specific but probability is highest when you ask when business is good and before budget has been set.

If you receive an offer, consider it carefully before accepting. Companies always (I think always…) try to hire the best candidates at the lowest pay, and hiring managers that can do this are rewarded. Many candidates tire of the search and eagerly accept any offer. More often than not you will be short changing yourself. Right now, the best time to get the best pay is at the time of hire. Studies have shown that candidates who negotiate can expect an average of 15% more pay than those who accept the first offer.

Career Solutions Group offers services that speed up your job search and provide you with tips on how to negotiate your salary. We help candidates prepare for interview preparation, among other things. To learn more, please contact us at info@careersolutionsgroup.net. We offer free initial consultations that will help you understand the job search process in greater detail.

By: Bryan Dennis, Career Solutions Group