On-Site Financial

 

Negotiations: Handling Difficult Conversations (Page 3)

 

Have a Plan B

I believe in always having a backup plan, and it has served me well. If, for whatever reason, a higher salary is out of the question, then it is often because the organization really doesn’t have the budget to pay the salary. However, many items encompass a compensation package that don’t require the employer to write a check. Think of it in these terms: what is a write off to their business is a benefit to you. For example, perhaps a class you would like to take totals several hundred or several thousand dollars. Ask for it up front during the salary negotiation. You can even ask for the class in lieu of a higher salary bracket. For an employer, it's a write-off. For you, it's tax-free money, with time off to learn, that will enhance your career.

Another negotiation strategy is getting more time off, or one day to telecommute. Again, such arrangements benefit you and cost the employer nothing. If you would like special hours, discuss it before the job offer comes across your desk. Time off, flexible hours and educational benefits should all be discussed and put in writing before your first day on the job.

Get It Up Front

Some think that if you go into the workplace and perform at a high level you will be compensated on your next review. Nice thought — but in reality, I have never seen a single case of that in all my time of employing professional accountants or engineers. My advice is simple: get it up front. Don’t expect them to catch you up later on the money. More than likely, employers will have a lot of excuses as to why you won’t get the salary increase. Some reasons are fabricated, because they do not have the budget. Go to the table once and once only. It’s actually easier to negotiate when you aren’t familiar with your boss, than after you’ve been in the department a year.

In a successful salary negotiation, you're both discussing and creating the terms of an agreement, so that each of you will receive the maximum benefit.