Congratulations! You’ve received a job offer and you’re thrilled, but the salary has just fallen short of your expectations. Now you must ask yourself, can you negotiate? And if you can, how do you go about it without antagonising your new employer?
Knowledge is power, so your first step is to do your research. Check sites like Glassdoor to see what their current and previous employees say about salary at the company, or you could speak to a recruiter about the salary range within the sector.
They may offer you exactly what you wanted, in which case you can stop reading here. But should you jump in and accept the first offer? Better to take some time and consider if it meets your current needs as well as thinking ahead for the future. Be confident in the fact they chose you because they wanted you. You’re a good fit for them, so don’t settle for anything less than you’re worth.
Let them know what salary you’re looking for but don’t be too specific on the amount. It’s better to give them a ball-park figure, of which will open a negotiation and start the conversation as well as giving you room to manoeuvre.
If you’re asked about your previous salary, never lie. If they do employ you, your new boss will find out, so if you’ve not been honest this could be embarrassing. If you’re looking for a salary leap, then make sure you can back up your credentials and confidently state your case. Explain what value you can bring to the company; your knowledge and skills and how these will complement the role.
In case there is no wriggle room on salary, consider anything else you’d like to negotiate on. Are there any added benefits which may mean more to you than the pounds in your pocket? Think longer term, if they have a great pension scheme or great healthcare scheme, this could be worth much more to you in the coming years than an extra couple grand in your pocket now.
It may be that they offer additional benefits such as extra days’ holiday, flexible or remote working, health benefits such as gym membership, or travel assistance, which could swing the deal in your favour.
Be prepared to make a compromise, perhaps they’re unable to pay you what you’re looking for, but they may be able to offer something else which could work out better for you in the longer term.
If, after the negotiation has concluded you still don’t feel that they are not meeting your needs, then be prepared to face the fact that this may not be the job for you.
If you’ve been working with a recruiter, make sure all negotiations go through them. They will be best placed to guide you through the process. Be upfront with your agency early on and let them steer you in the right direction to help you get what you’re looking for.
Ready to get the best offer?
If you read every word, skim read the best bits, or even just scrolled straight to the bottom – thank you for taking the time. SalesRec is a specialist Sales Recruitment company in London, you can find more information on roles and how we recruit on the website – www.salesrec.co.uk or follow us on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sales-recruitment-co/ for more blogs and helpful tips from the world of recruitment.
