When a potential employer is interested in hiring you for a position, they often provide you with a pay and benefits package and a recommended salary either orally or in writing. You can negotiate for a higher salary if you do not believe your current compensation is commensurate with your education, profession, skill set, and experience. You might also provide an alternative payment, such as equity or stock options, and additional benefits, such as extended time off for vacation. Here are tips to successfully negotiate your salary.

Make a list of what it is that you have to give

When beginning the salary negotiation process, you must clearly understand just how much value you can give an employer. Several variables may affect the amount of money that you make, including the following:

• Geographic location
• Years of industry experience
• Years of leadership experience
• Education level
• Career level
• Skills
• Licenses and certifications

Research the market average

Your salary request may benefit from having a solid foundation, which can be provided by knowing the market average. This information can even be used as justification. This application compiles salary information from historical and current job advertisements on Indeed and data provided anonymously by other individuals who use Indeed.

Prepare your talking points

You may find it useful to answer the following question as a foundation for your negotiation notes as you construct them: I'm curious why you believe you deserve a better salary than the company now provides you. Before contacting the employer, prepare a few discussion topics you want to cover, and try to be as detailed as possible. Among these particulars may be found information such as:

• Your prior jobs and the results you accomplished in those roles, such as the targets you fulfilled, the income you helped produce, or the accolades you obtained. If at all feasible, real numbers should be used.
• Years of experience in the sector, especially if you have more years of experience than the company indicated, are required as a minimum for the position.
• Acquiring certain skills or qualifications, particularly if such skills or certifications are in great demand within your sector.
• The typical pay levels provided by comparable companies in the same industry for equivalent positions.

Schedule a time to discuss

Contact the recruiter or the hiring manager to schedule a time to discuss the position over the phone. Although doing business dealings through e-mail is not frowned upon, it is strongly recommended that telephone conversations take place instead. You can conduct a dialogue back and forth with someone, show thanks, and effectively describe your needs whether you speak with them in person, over the phone, or by video conference. If you want the recruiter or hiring manager to advocate for your salary to the decision-makers, you should try to be straightforward and courteous in your communication with them.

Rehearse with a trusted friend

Practicing your talking points is a great way to boost your self-assurance and pinpoint areas where you may improve. The most beneficial strategy to hone your skills is to do it with a reliable friend or colleague who can provide constructive criticism. You can also speak in front of a mirror or film your talk on a camera. Both of these methods are alternatives.

This stage is particularly crucial since talking about money may often make people feel awkward; nevertheless, the more you practice, the more at ease you'll feel when discussing money.

Be confident

Delivering your negotiation with confidence is just as crucial as pronouncing what you say. Your employer will have a higher level of assurance in their ability to take your comments into account the more self-assured they perceive you to be.

Confidence, which may be defined as an appreciation of one's strengths and traits, is not the same as arrogance, which can be defined as an inflated perception of one's significance. Your lack of self-assurance may also cause you to overexplain your request or apologize, neither of which is useful when trying to reach an agreement with another party. Instead, declare your proposed salary self-assuredly and straightforwardly, along with a synopsis of your justification.

Lead with gratitude

When you finally get to the job offer phase of the recruiting process, you've likely put a significant amount of time and effort into the application and interviewing processes for the position. You must acknowledge the fact that the employer has also spent time in the process and express gratitude to them for taking the time to consider you for the opportunity. Make sure to include any unique aspects of the position, such as the culture or the product, that pique your interest and enthuse you about working there.