Full Compensation 4U

Often times in salary negotiation the question about your salary history will come up. It is not a good idea to discuss your salary history if you can avoid it, as it can give the employer a hand up in negotiation.

It is a bad idea to discuss salary early in the hiring process. However if it comes up, do not get yourself caught in a lie.

The best way to deal when pressed for your salary information is as follows:

1) The compensation you earned in the past is for similar work but the total compensation package is not related to the work and company your going to. Your past salary should not factor into your new job.

2) If the employer insists you mention your previous salary, mention with the total value of your salary package. Also, restate that it is not the same company you will be working for, and so your past salary is not related. There are so many factors including lifestyle, vacation, time in lieu of pay and other things that also factor in.

3) Be aware before going into the interview what the standard range is for that job, and know where your performance level would be within that range. Most people are not at the top end of the salary range, so unless you are a total star, don’t expect the absolute max unless you can justify it. Your clout will be confirmed by your reference checks it will be obvious if you are not in the highest percentiles.

4) Regardless of whether or not you were earning at or below or even above the market average for your career, your past salary is not relevant. You may have had any number of reasons for working below market in the past, but what is important now is that you earn current market rates for the work you do. Your past doesn’t explain your worth as a resource to the new employer.

5) If you divulge your salary, restate that you expect to be paid the standard industry rate for the posting, and explain what you do understand about the industry at that time. Most employers will respect you for standing your ground on the matter. Just remember negotiating is not a hostile situation, so remember to be firm in your stance but respectful in your demeanor.

Never lie your interview. The employer has many ways to find out what you really earned in your past, either through asking your for some form of record, or they can confirm it with your previous employer. Just remember, you bring a lot of value, and that is the most important thing you offer to the employer.

A friend recently asked me for some advice or tips on how to negotiate a salary. They are no expert at salary negotiation and would like to get better.

Being excellent at salary negotiation takes extensive experience. I have been interviewed well over a hundred times and negotiated salary very successfully. I’d be happy to discuss what I view as a quick approach that can help you get ready for salary negotiation and achieve significant results.

While what follows here is a great beginning strategy, there are many approaches to negotiating salary. It is very important for salary seekers to have the full picture. You need to know all the successful and relevant strategies and all the ways to overcome common salary negotiation hurdles.

While salary negotiating is a huge topic and I cannot provide all tactics in one article, I will give you a great outline to salary negotiation.

Lets have a rundown of some of the basic steps.

1) Do your in depth research to find out the importance of the role you are looking to fill. Investigate your worht at some of the following recommended sites: monster.com, payscale.com or salary.com.

2) Document all the things you can where you have added value to the business or employer. Pay special attention to tasks you do that are above the call of duty.

3) Determine where you stand in relation to other personnel in the business. This may take a bit of effort on your part. Ask your friends. It seems more socially acceptable these days to discuss your salary. Be careful how you approach this subject.

4) Plant the thought in your supervisors mind. Approach them at a stategic time when they are not too budy. Avoid times when they are rushed out the door or off to their next staff meeting.

5) Make sure the boss feels it is a good time to talk. If they are busy, or rushed out, then don’t approach them. Rather, ask when would they be free, and plan a meeting for that time. Present your salary negotiation confidently. Confidence is a crucial element to success in negotiation.

6) Make sure you’ve conscientiously rehearsed through some objections and have thought out your responses to the objections. There is always a way to keep the salary negotiation on a win-win path.

7) It can get discouraging in salary negotiatiosn, but do your best to maintain your high self confidence. Never give an ultimatum when negotiating salary because you may be forced to act on it. You don’t want to find yourself looking further for another job.

There are many ways you can approach an employer for salary negotiation. Make sure you do so with tact and keen awareness of pitfalls and challenges you may face. Its crucial to steer away from landmines in order to come out ahead and negotiate the best salary for yourself.

One great tactic is to wait for the employer to address the question of salary first. Either they will disclose their acceptable range, or they will ask you what your acceptable range is. It is best to defer this as late in the process as possible.

Another salary negotiation strategy that I like when receiving an offer that you’re not very happy with is to ask a question. Is that the highest possible salary you can offer right now? When followed up with your silence, the employer is left stumbling for a response. If the answer is yes, you can talk about how you cannot accepted it, and that you believe your contribution is worth more. If the answer is no, then right away ask if it is possible for them to offer you your highest salary request.

Whatever you do, make sure you support your case with facts and value statements that you can back up. Be prepared for the unexpected, and always leave the door open to re-negotiate if you don’t close the deal on a given day. That will ensure you can come back and work towards an end that meets the needs of both sides.

Wishing you the ultimate success in salary negotiation!

A colleague of mine was asking me about how to approach a potential new employer about their salary expectations, and the timing of the conversation. They were worried it might set the wrong impression or give the employer a negotiating edge if they discussed the salary too soon. My rule of thumb is to never lie to any employer about your salary history or salary expectations, but to avoid the discussion until you have nearly gotten the job.

When I have been pressured by HR for an response to that question in the past, my preferred approach is outlined in the following checklist.

1) The approach I would take would be to ask to table the question until later in the interview or for another day. It is important to me that we have first come to a common understanding on the roles and responsibilities of the job, and also, the type of experience I bring to the job, and what I will be contributing to the new company. I would prefer to be paid in line with the current job market and within the companies standards for this role.

2) If put on the spot to respond during the interview, and they insist on knowing my previous salary, I mention the total value of what I expect for salary and all compensation. That includes cash, as well as benefits and other perks. I will mention holiday time, quality of life factors, and other things like pension and health plans. I also explain that what is most important to me is that the job offer is fair within the market rather than based on what I made in the past.

3) It is important for me to be aware before going into any interview what the standard salary range is for that position. I also want determine where my overall percentile would fall within that range. The vast majority of people are not at the top end of the salary range, so unless I know I have been a superstar, which I usually strive towards, then I wouldn’t recommend expecting the absolute maximum salary, unless I know I can explain why I am worth it. This is almost always confirmed by reference checks, and also, when starting the new job, it will be obvious if I am not in the 98th percentile. The goal is to be generous with your self evaluation but honest if you are not at the total superstar ranking.

4) Regardless of your past salary that you earned in that job role, you should expect to be paid fairly for the current market conditions. You should explain to the new employer that regardless of your past salary, whether it was at or below the market range, you would like to be paid at the salary level that is fair. Your reasons for having a lower than average salary in the past are not pertinent to the new job, and your life situation has changed. Therefore your goal is to have a fair salary negotiation that both sides will be pleased with.

5) Suppose you do reveal your past salary due to the pressure. It is important to do so under the caveat that you expect to be paid fairly, and that you don’t feel that the information you are bout to give is all that pertinent. You need to paid an honest salary for your honest work. Just remember to be clear and firm about your expectations, all the while maintaining a level of respect and rapport.

Whatever you to, be completely truthful during interviews. The employer has many ways of getting information and they will find out your true salary history if they are so determined. They will also learn about your past performance, and they may even ask you to produce a pay stub to prove your past salary. Remember you’re a highly skilled worker, and you bring a lot of value to the position. You just need the skills to communicate that value clearly and effectively to the new employer.

It is not a good idea to discuss salary early in an interview. It can be too much information when trying to negotiate a new salary, but how can you dodge the question?

My first rule of thumb is to never lie. It is not very good to talk about the salary, especially during an early interview.

The best way to deal when pressed for your salary information is as follows:

1) State that you’d rather not answer that question because your previous salary is not terribly relevant to the current job you’re applying to. You’d rather be paid commensurate with the market and within the companies standard guidelines for the role and responsibility.

2) If the employer insists you mention your previous salary, mention with the total value of your salary package. Also, restate that it is not the same company you will be working for, and so your past salary is not related. There are so many factors including balanced lifestyle, annual vacation, rewarded overtime that also factor in.

3) Be aware before going into the interview what the standard range is for that job, and know where your performance level would be within that range. Most people are not at the top end of the salary range, so unless you are a total star, don’t expect the absolute max unless you can justify it. Your clout will be confirmed by your reference checks it will be obvious if you are not in the highest percentiles.

4) Even if you were earning a low salary before, possibly even below the industry standards for that job, you should expect to be paid within that range when you go to your next job. You may have one of many reasons for taking an lower salary at your previous job. It does NOT explain your worth to the new employer, bottom line!

5) If you divulge your salary, restate that you expect to be paid the standard industry rate for the posting, and explain what you do understand about the industry at that time. Most employers will respect you for standing your ground on the matter. Just remember that in negotiating you should be firm in your stance but respectful in your demeanor.

Do not lie in your interview. The employer has ways to detect what you really earned, either through asking you to produce a pay stub, or asking if they can confirm it with your previous employer. Remember, the value you bring is the value you bring, and that is the bottom line if the employer wants to hire you.