May also be phrases as, “What salary are you worth?”…or, “How much are you making now?” This is your most important negotiation.
Handle it wrong and you can blow the job offer or go to work at far less than
you might have gotten.
BEST ANSWER: For maximum salary
negotiating power, remember these five guidelines:
1. Never bring up salary. Let the interviewer do it first. Good salespeople sell their products
thoroughly before talking price. So should you. Make the interviewer want you first, and your
bargaining position will be much stronger.
2.
If your interviewer raises the salary question too early,
before you’ve had a chance to create desire for your qualifications, postpone the question, saying something
like, “Money is important to me, but is not
my main concern. Opportunity and
growth are far more important. What I’d
rather do, if you don’t mind, is explore if I’m right for the position, and
then talk about money. Would that be okay?”
3.
The #1 rule of any negotiation is: the
side with more information wins.
After you’ve done a thorough job of selling the interviewer and it’s
time to talk salary, the secret is to get the employer talking about what he’s
willing to pay before you reveal what
you’re willing to accept. So, when asked about salary, respond by
asking, “I’m sure the company has already established a salary range for this
position. Could you tell me what that
is?” Or, “I want an income commensurate
with my ability and qualifications. I
trust you’ll be fair with me. What does
the position pay?” Or, more simply, “What does this position pay?”
4.
Know beforehand what you’d accept. To know what’s reasonable, research the job
market and this position for any relevant salary information. Remember that most executives look for a
20-25%$ pay boost when they switch jobs. If you’re grossly underpaid, you may
want more.
5.
Never lie about what you currently make, but feel free to
include the estimated cost of all your fringes, which could well tack on 25-50%
more to your present “cash-only” salary.