Negotiating Skills: How to Obtain the Salary You Want

Salary negotiating is an important topic that must be addressed prior to your initial interview with a prospective employer. Knowing your bottom rate, and being able to live with it [or on it?] is an important thing for candidates to uncover before the first interview. Why then do so many of us make the tactical mistake and go to the interview unprepared?

One of the first mistakes ? a real killer ? is to tip your hand too early in the interview process on what you will accept for a salary. Many interviewers will attempt to screen you out by finding out what your ballpark figure is. To mention that amount too early in the interview process can and will lock you in to a figure you might not be happy with later. Try changing your salary requirements after an offer has been made and you will come across looking flakey or greedy.

You must have a salary range in mind before going on the first interview? you then have to be determined not to reveal it in that interview or you just might find yourself on the outside looking in. In other words, you will be screened out of the selection process before you can show the employer [the person with hiring authority, not the Human Resources (HR) rep.] what you can do for them.

If you are asked on the first interview what your salary requirements are you must stall the interviewer. Chances are the first interview is with an HR rep who is trained to weed people out, oftentimes the salary requirement being one of the "weeds" the rep looks at to eliminate candidates. More than likely the rep is a "no-nothing" regarding your job; he or she is tasked with presenting a certain group of candidates to the person with actual hiring authority [e.g., chief flight attendant, chief pilot, operations manager, etc.] and knows [or cares] little about your background or what you can do for the company.

I have seen the best candidates get screened out prematurely because they tipped their hand too early in the interview process.

So, what do you do if someone insists on a salary figure? The best answer can be summed up along these lines: "my salary requirements are based on the nature and scope of the position." In other words, the more difficult the job, the higher your salary requirements will be. If pressed further -- assuming the rep insists on uncovering your salary range -- you can always announce a figure closer to your bottom rate. For example, if you want 60K and sense that announcing that figure ahead of time will sink you, you can tell them: "my range starts in the upper 40s to mid 50s." That way, you won't be screened out for what the H.R. rep might consider an excessive salary requirement. Most importantly, it will enable you to go to the all important second interview with the person who has real hiring authority.

Your second interview is your opportunity to "WOW" your potential employer. Tell them all the things you can and will do for them. Avoid salary negotiating and let them know they can't live without you. Once you sell them on that point, you will be prepared to give your salary figure of 60K, but only discuss salary if they bring it up [your third interview should be their actual offer to you, however be prepared for an offer earlier than that if you WOW them and they insist on hiring you on the spot. In that case you should be able to secure your upper figure].

Should the remark be made that HR told them you would accept a much lower salary, you must stress that the job responsibilities detailed to you in the interview are much greater than what the HR rep had indicated. Most reasonable people will understand that HR only has a general, not a specific understanding of the job requirements, and will accept this reasoning. Reemphasize your experience, your business acumen, all the points that set you apart from the average candidate, which you are not.

I cannot tell you how often I have heard candidates fail at this important game, which it is -- a cat and mouse game. Do not for a minute think that you will be able to renegotiate your salary later. If you settle for less you will have to live on less. Maybe that works for you, but chances are you will be unhappy and had wished you never caved in.

Matt is the founder of the Corporate Flight Attendant Community, a resource center for business flight attendants. http://www.cabinmanagers.com

---

Has ADHD Put Your Career in Danger? 3 Steps to Get You Back on Track

"Roger, you must get those contracts completed for this month's sales and don't forget, we have a meeting tomorrow at 9:00. Don't be late again!"Roger was a... Read More

Job! Money! Career!

Feel somehow your life is stuck in MS-OFFICE ? The reality of life for MBAs is Excel or PowerPoint , I heard Google is catching up at... Read More

The Role of a Medical Assistant in a Modern Medical Practice

Many physicians are unsure of what tasks are appropriate to assign to a Medical Assistant. It is important to remember Medical Assistants are not licensed to make... Read More

Career Advice On Freelance Writing Jobs

Sometimes the freelance writing jobs available are those that no one wants. Or, they are those that new businesses are looking to fill. You will not find... Read More

Children At Work: Looking at Child Labor in the Victorian Age

Today, it isn't that uncommon for some children and teenagers to work. They may earn extra money by baby-sitting, doing yard work, or maybe even walking dogs.... Read More

Writing Resumes That Attract Your Perfect Job

Let me introduce you to Ben. He made it happenBen was a comptroller. He liked what he did and wanted to find a similar job after his... Read More

Work In Dubai

Dubai is home to an exciting, diverse, multi-cultural blend of young, dynamic and professional people all enjoying the unrivalled quality of life the Emirate has to offer.... Read More

A Career In Medical Assisting

My name is Danni R, and I am a certified medical assistant and online educator. I am writing this article to introduce you to an exciting career... Read More

How To Conduct A Successful Job Search Campaign

1.Define your objective: Know what kind of work you most enjoy and perform the best. This requires self-evaluation, spending time looking at your interests and abilities. 2.Write... Read More

Feedback: Take It or Leave It ... But Get It

The expense was substantial. An immersion workshop with twelve participants sharing a common goal to hone their skills. With nervous eagerness like kindergarteners embracing school, we received... Read More

Take the Personal Out of the Workplace: Leave Your Troubles at the Door!

Bringing your emotional baggage into the work place is inappropriate for all the reasons you may imagine. Yet employees, managers and business owners do it all the... Read More

3 Cover Letter Secrets Revealed

Writing a cover letter can be like cleaning your garage -- you don't know where to start ... and you just want it done.Wouldn't it be great... Read More

Resume Outline - Add Structure & Flow to Your Resume

Building your resume, based on a resume outline will give it structure and flow... it provides an outline of all the things you should include in your... Read More

Unlimit Your Life!

Do you have a tendency to think in absolutes?Is everything good or bad, black or white?This type of thinking can severely limit your options. Or worse, prevent... Read More

A Career in Image Consulting

You might have seen them while watching TV shows such as Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, or What Not to Wear. Or you might... Read More

10 Major Signs of Job Dissatisfaction

The New Year is a great time to analyze your job and the satisfaction you get from doing it. Running the rat race is just that, scurrying... Read More

Change Your Career, Change Your Life

Change Your Career,Change your Life!Lots of times I see and talk to people who are tired, bored and burnt out of their current jobs. I'm not sure... Read More

10 Tips For Writing A Professional Résumé

1. Start with an attractive layout. Use bold and italics to highlight key points.I do not recommend downloadable templates because they are very generic and dull. Get... Read More

Ten Things To Do When You Really, Really Hate Your Job

1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how much you want to escape. When you find yourself sharing the latest horror story, stop in mid-sentence... Read More

Practice Speaking

For many people, interviewing is not a natural act any more than going on a blind date is. You are asked a bunch of questions about your... Read More

Culture Shock

Today we hear much talk of the 'global village'. People are have more opportunities to travel and live abroad than ever before. However, when you leave a... Read More

Revitalize Your Recruiting for 2005

Happy New Year! The forecasts are in agreement: Hiring is on the rise. 2005 will mark the revitalization of our economy. In fact, hiring plans may rival... Read More

How To Get a Job Offer From Every Interview

About four years ago a friend told me one night that she had an interview the next week and was looking for some comfort as she was... Read More

Taking Charge During An Interview!

Perhaps you've found yourself in the position of seeking a new position due to a layoff, cutback or downsizing and are now facing the interviewing process. As... Read More

Can Nurses Be Entrepreneurs?

Yes, Nurses can be entrepreneurs. In today's market place nursing has a unique service to offer not only to hospitals but nursing homes, private care and doctor... Read More

Learn Some Useful Feng Shui Career Tips

As it does with every main life aspect, feng shui also provides tips and guidelines to help you improving your career. If your career is not moving... Read More