
Look! It’s the job you want! It’s perfect! The work you’ll be doing, the reputation of the company, the title, location, everything! Wait, what? Not everything?
The salary isn’t quite what you were hoping?
Well, this scenario is commonly faced by job seekers, and here’s some advice on what to do about it. Negotiating a salary doesn’t need to be complicated.
Plan B When Negotiating a Salary
If the company is just not prepared to pay you what you’re asking, consider whether you’d be willing to accept some substitute to make up for the lesser wage amount. Negotiating a salary is not always just about monetary rewards. For many people, other benefits can be just as rewarding.
For example, will the company negotiate on such items as the waiting period for benefits for health insurance coverage or employer-sponsored education and training to assist in career advancement?
Hubris diminishes wisdom. Yes, job seekers want to show interviewers how well-suited they are for the position. However, discussions about your salary are probably not the best time to show off your ruthless negotiating skills, especially if the person you’re negotiating with will also be your supervisor.
Keeping it conversational, not confrontational, will keep things from going south and keep you from talking yourself out of a job.