A little controversy is never enough. This time, we are discussing how to negotiate your salary during an interview and when it is a good time to talk about a raise. We invited a professional negotiator – Ms. Ewa Szejner, who reveals the secrets of effective negotiations to us! Are you changing jobs or are you preparing for a conversation with your supervisor? This article is just for you!
In this article you will get answers to the following questions:
- Let’s start from the beginning. You are a Certified Negotiator, what does that really mean?
- Can you tell us about the most difficult negotiations you have been involved in? What was the biggest challenge?
- Let’s now move on to the questions of negotiating wages when we are looking for a job. How to value yourself in the labor market? Are the pay bands found on the portals a hint for us?
- Interview and the question “How much would you like to earn?” How to state your financial expectations in order to obtain a satisfactory effect, not to say too little/too much
- Is it worth considering a bonus when negotiating a salary? That is, to go below expectations depending on the bonus, which may or may not be paid (even if the potential employer has promised it).
- A recruiter calls us with information about the positive completion of the recruitment. He also gives the amount that the employer is already offering us. What if it is lower than we expected, or our absolute minimum? How to negotiate and whether to negotiate?
- It is not always necessary to change jobs in order to increase our wages. When is it worth applying for a raise? Are there any specific moments in our professional careers when there is the best chance of getting it?
- When our probationary contract ends, is this one of those times when we should discuss remuneration?
- How often does it make sense to ask for a raise?
- If a company has one raise period per year, does that mean that only on that date can you receive such a raise?
- Waiting for the employer to come out with the initiative and receive a raise, or initiating such a conversation yourself?
- When we initiate a conversation about the raise, is it worth giving a specific amount we care about, % of the increase, or refrain from providing such information?
- What if the increase proposed by the boss is a kind of “closing our mouths”, that is, we get 200 zloty? And we do know that on the job market in the same positions you can get 1000 PLN more? Do we then threaten to quit?
I am a certified business negotiator, because I am certified by the American Certification Institute in the field of negotiations (certificate CIPN 2150846742). I deal with negotiations. I advise clients how to negotiate, I participate in negotiation processes with them, or I represent their interests myself, of course, with their power of attorney. I run workshops and trainings on negotiation issues.
A few years ago, I was negotiating a contract for PLN 34 million. Negotiations took a very long time. We met regularly once every 1-2 months for almost two years (exactly for 21 months). I’m joking that these are negotiations that last as long as an elephant’s pregnancy.
The biggest challenge in this process was time. It wasn’t just that everyone was a little tired of the long conversations. The main problem waschanging circumstances. It is about changing the participants in the negotiation process on both sides of the negotiating table, and two about changing business circumstances, such as a change in the exchange rate or new market regulations.
Such factors have a huge impact on conversations and can undermine the findings reached over the course of several months.
Yes, the pay bands we can find on the Internet can be a clue.It is only necessary to profile the search well, clearly specifying what position, in what company and what location.Because the same position in different sectors (private and state) and in different locations (small town or big city) are valued quite differently.
I would also suggest to ask your friends and acquaintances. Sometimes it turns out that some friend of our friend works in the company to which we apply. Therefore, there is no better source of knowledge about earnings, bonus systems and non-wage benefits.
You can also search for knowledge on job board portals. It happens that in the advertisement the employer states the remuneration that he can offer. Even if we can’t find a specific position in the company we want to apply to, we may find information about the level of earnings in similar positions at the competition.
You need to be prepared before interviewing for a job. You should know how much money one earn in the position for which you apply,if not in this particular company, then in similar companies working in this sector, in this industry, in a given location. If such knowledge has not been gained, then at least you should know the earnings for similar positions.
Of course, you also need to be prepared for the question of expected earnings. You need to have a ready answer and stick to the set amount. Ad hoc decision making, or changing your expectations, because at the last moment it seems to us that we have exaggerated is not good. And one more thing, we should never add “of course we can negotiate” after giving the amount.Believe me, I know from the autopsy that such statements are common. We unnecessarily depreciate our offer as soon as we’ve made it. Both sides are aware that we can and most likely will negotiate, but a party that articulates such a readiness automatically weakens its negotiating position.
The bonus is always an additional premium and I would suggest to omit it in salary negotiations.If the bonus is discretionary, it is never guaranteed, because it depends not so much on our results, but on their recognition by our supervisor, or decision-maker in bonus issues.
As someone once said, “great men’s favors are uncertain.” I think it fits perfectly with a phenomenon called incentive bonus. With more formalized bonus systems, the chances of getting a bonus are higher, but there is also no certainty. Most often, bonus systems are constructed on the basis of individual results and the results of the entire company, sometimes there are even three components: individual performance, department performance, and organization performance.In such a situation, even the best result of a single employee does not guarantee the payment of bonuses. The results of the company may negatively affect the chances of receiving the bonus.
Of course, a slightly different case are the packages of top managers, where the bonus and additional packages are a significant component of the entire offer. Then they are so important (high) that they must be taken into account in wage negotiations.
When asked whether to negotiate, I answer – always!
If we have previously indicated what level of earnings we mean, and now we hear that the amount is lower, we have the right to return to our expectations.Since the employer, aware of our requirements, kept us in the recruitment process, and now offered employment, it means that he is most likely able to accept this level. Now he’s just negotiating.Worse, if during previous meetings, no one asked about our expectations, and now it turns out that the proposed amount is much lower than we imagined. We also negotiate, but more carefully. It may turn out that a potential employer is not ready for our earnings.
There are several such circumstances that are conducive to taking up the subject of a raise and give a good chance of receiving it, for example:
–the most important employee to date leaves the department, thus increasing our role;
– we receive additional duties, we have new tasks;
– we have acquired a new client important for the company;
– we have successfully carried out an important project for the company;
– we have contributed to the optimization of expenses;
– Equal Pay Day – is an option for women, which I especially recommend.
The European Equal Pay Day is a celebration of the problem of wage inequality. It falls at the turn of February and March. This year it was celebrated on 3 March.
Source: E. Szejner “Negotiate, woman!” [original in Polish “Negocjuj, kobieto!”]
This date shows how much longer a statistical woman has to work in the same position as a statistical man in order to receive the same salary. Thus, a man works from January 1 to December 31, and a woman performs the same duties for more than two months in order to receive the same pay.
Equal Pay Day is a great opportunity for women to claim their rights (here the right to the same wages for the same work guaranteed in the Constitution). I dream that in the future this day will be widely “celebrated” in such a way that women initiate discussions about their increases.
No, it’s definitely too late.
I would suggest having this type of discussion during a job interview. You can agree to a lower salary during three trial months, but immediately point out that if after the trial period both the employer and we are satisfied and want to continue cooperation, then the rate will be higher.
It is relatively easy for an employer to agree to such an option because it is conditional. He does not pay anything at once, he does not buy as it is called “buying a pig in a poke”, but pays more when he checks the employee and is convinced of his employment.
When we negotiate in this way, we also look professional. We express confidence in our competences and commitment. We are convinced that we will prove ourselves. Therefore, we are ready to agree to a lower salary during the trial period, because we believe that afterwards we will receive a higher gratification.
Salary negotiations are rarely successful immediately after the trial period.The new employer usually replies, “You’ve only been with us for 3 months. Let’s wait a bit, get to know each other from the best side. You’ll get a raise the next time.” Only that the next opportunity may happen in a year, or even later.
At every opportunity. As above…
In companies where there is a system of regular employee assessments, it is appropriate to start talks about the increase once a year, on the occasion of each subsequent assessment. Provided, of course, that the assessment received is sufficiently high. It is difficult to apply for a raise or a bonus if our achievements so far are not satisfactory.
No, not only. There are many opportunities to take up the topic and these opportunities should be taken advantage of. I especially encourage women to do this, because they are much less likely to take such initiatives.
Why not? In the worst case, we will hear NO. Even in this situation, I see benefits. It will be a kind of negotiation training that will help us prepare for refusal.
Source: E. Szejner “Negotiate, woman!” [original in Polish “Negocjuj, kobieto!”]
To be honest, it is possible that it may not happen…
Employers who independently see, appreciate our work and come out with a raise initiative for employees is a rarity. Such a species should be protected :).
Who better to take care of our own interests than ourselves? No one, and therefore we ourselves, must seek to raise our salaries.
State the amount or percentage and thus “anchor it”.Even if the employer does not accept our offer, it is the beginning of a conversation. Research shows that the so-called anchor affects the final result of the talks.
One thing to be careful about is not to articulate an amount disproportionate to our contribution or the level of earnings on the market. You can then expose yourself to ridicule.
If we do not clearly indicate the amount of our expectations, it may end up at PLN 160 gross.Of course, it’s better than nothing, but I don’t think we all care about such increases.
The argument for changing employer is a very strong and definitive argument.It should only be used if it is necessary and only if we really have an alternative, a signed letter of intent from another company guaranteeing us jobs and earnings at least equal to those we currently have. I would never have dared not to negotiate the so-called BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement) in this way. What should we do if our current employer puts the case on a knife blade? What if he said “if you want to go, go ahead” or we would answer “I was just joking”. This is not serious and puts both our reputation and our relationship with the boss at risk.
Source: E. Szejner “Negotiate, woman!” [original in Polish “Negocjuj, kobieto!”]
In this situation, I would suggest a technique for finding the owner of the problem.
This is a very interesting tactical procedure, because attention, the owner of the problem does not have to be the man who caused the problem. The owner of the problem can be a person who can solve the problem.
In practice, we don’t say, “Give me a raise or I’ll leave.” We should not blackmail anyone, even if we have a good alternative and it is possible to move to a new company immediately. It is not worth spoiling relationships with people with whom we can meet again on our professional path.
You have to say something like: “I received a job offer from a competitor. They’re offering me a higher salary. This means that my work is valued higher by the market. However, I am very comfortable working here. I don’t want to leave the company, I want to stay here. What to do then?”
The delegation of the problem is an excellent choice. We do not blackmail anyone, we do not spoil the relationship, and the problem actually ends up in the hands of our boss, who, if we are a valuable element of the team, will strive to get us a raise.
I would like to add here, so as not to forget about the so-called non-wage elements of remuneration. Negotiations need not be limited to financial matters. Sometimes it is really difficult to earn extra money for a raise, even if the employee is entitled to one. It is then much easier for the supervisor to organize a different type of gratification, which, of course, also has an impact on our financial situation.
Is not a company car convertible into money, or financing postgraduate studies, which in the future will pay off by getting a better salary or finding a better job?
It would seem that even something as trivial as the possibility of working from home is a very valuable option for some. We save time and money on commuting to work. We have more freedom to plan our working day. In addition, we are at home, which is especially important for parents of small children.
Therefore, I encourage you to negotiate and to perceive the negotiations in a broad way. Not only as an element of business or diplomacy, but also as an integral part of our everyday reality.
Negotiation skills pay off not only during trade talks or during discussions about a raise. One definition of negotiation is “negotiating is getting from others what we want”, it puts the art of negotiation in a whole new very broad light…
If you are interested in negotiating, please visit: FB “Negotiate, woman!” [“Negocjuj kobieto”] and www.poradniknegocjatora.pl