How to negotiate for a salary you deserve

After successfully completing the various stages of a job interview, there remains one last hurdle between the candidate and the job that has the potential to become his dream job. Everything depends on how he negotiates a salary package that he rightfully deserves. It's not easy to get a pay that aligns with a candidate's experience, education, skill sets and personality and this is the reason why he needs to negotiate for the amount of money that does justice to the service he would be providing. However, negotiating a good package is easier said than done and that is the reason why we bring to you a few tips to hone your negotiating skills and take home an offer you deserve.

Calculate your values and explain while negotiating
Before you negotiate your salary with the HR personnel or the concerned authority, you should know how much value you would add to the job or offer to an employee. Think about the various factors —for example, your years of experience, leadership quality, education, where you stand in the career graph now, your skills, certification programmes you have completed etc.—that can add to your value. And when you begin your salary negotiation stress on the factors that will justify the salary you have asked for.

Find out what's the average salary for the post in the job market
It's always useful to have data to support your points while negotiating for your salary. So, try to find what salary other people are drawing who hold similar positions do the same job in some other organisation. Also, having an idea about the national average salary of the position and how much other organizations are paying their employees for similar posts would help you justify why you should be paid what you are asking.


Always ask for more
Have you ever come across any employer who has paid whatever an employee had asked for? It's very rare. So, this is something that everyone does while negotiating their salary—they cite a slightly higher salary than what they actually want. This is a very smart way to get what you want because even when the employer negotiates down the amount asked, you will end up getting a salary you had actually envisioned.


Share your expenses
Never hesitate to share any extra expenditure you would have to bear for taking up the job—be it travel expenses or the money you need to spend because you had to move. In case the new job is very far from your home, do not forget to mention the extra commuting fare you will have to bear. The point here is, you should not miss any opportunity to justify what you are asking for.


Be very confident and do not be afraid to walk away if needed
Confidence is the key to a successful negotiation when it comes to salary. When you negotiate for a high salary, your employer should also be convinced why they should pay you that amount. This why it is very important to speak with confidence and have a very positive body language that will give a good impression and confidence to the employer to hire you. Also, remember that it's very important to walk away from an offer that does not value your service. If you are not happy with what the employer has offered, thank them for their time and tell them politely that you would love to work provided they reconsider the offer.