Timing is key for a successful salary negotiation strategy
- Delay the money discussion as long as possible until you convince the employer you are the person they need.
- Never volunteer to give information on past salary.
- If pressed, try to avoid answering with tactics such as:
- “Let’s hold off until we both feel that this is the right job for me.”
- “We can work that out later. Finding the right career path is far more important for me at this stage.”
- If you can’t avoid giving information, don't lie about any of your salary history. If you feel your past salary was inadequate, make sure you make a case for a higher salary:
- “I accepted a low salary to get experience in that profession.”
- “Obviously I wouldn’t work for that level of pay today.”
- “Remember, that was in Charleston, West Virginia. I would need twice as much here in New York.”
- “At that time there were a lot of professionals in my field looking for work so salaries were severely depressed.”
- “That’s what they were paying me but I was up for an important raise just as I decided to make a career move to broaden my experience.”
- When asked about your current salary include salary and all benefits: base salary / actual & potential bonuses / vacation pay / stock options / travel allowances / health plans / insurance / training / retirement plans / 401k contributions / discounts / reimbursements / club memberships, etc.
(See HANDLING MONEY ISSUES Card)