How to negotiate your salary for any job

When applying for a job, there are lots of variables that impact your decision-making: the location, flexible working, and day-to-day responsibilities. But ultimately, salary is always one of the biggest deciding factors.

Too often, employers will dictate lower salaries in a bid to save money. This is one likely reason why employee turnover is so high today. According to Pew, 63% of workers who quit their jobs do so because of low pay.

But no one should be paid less than they’re worth.

Unfortunately, negotiating a good salary doesn’t come naturally to everyone and can feel uncomfortable. The good news is, practice makes perfect—and if you can refine your techniques, you’ll be able to maximize your salary now and for years to come. 

Here are tips for negotiating a higher salary.

1. Research the marketplace

Before entering into any salary negotiations it’s vital to know what you’re worth. Otherwise, how can you effectively negotiate the right figure? So do some research before the interview process even begins. 

The key is to take emotion out of the equation, say Melanie Feldman and Anna Schuliger, cofounders of Get Hired, an online job search course geared to young professionals. “People come in and fired up because they heard someone else with the same experience is making more than them,” says Feldman. “Stay away from that. Emotion doesn’t help your case. Empower yourself with research.”

Look for industry-wide data instead. Find out the average salary for someone in your position, location, and with your level of experience. You can do this by looking at online job postings. Research salary ranges for similar job titles in your area and that reflect your years of experience and industry. Other good resources include Glassdoor, Payscale, and 81cents, which offers insights on fair pay for women.

2. Talk to members of professional associations of your target industry

Glassdoor and Google are great tools, but to be truly prepared, Jacqueline Twillie, negotiation trainer and author of Navigating The Career Jungle: A Guide For Young Professionals, advises that job seekers shouldn’t stop there. “I tell people to speak with someone in professional associations. Those folks normally have their ear to the ground.” 

Instead of asking “how much do you make?,” however, Twillie suggests that job seekers should frame their question in the following way: “I’m considering this position in this city, and I’m thinking my value is $86,500, what do you think?”

You can get a much more accurate picture this way. Noting the gender wage gap, Twillie also recommends that job seekers speak with both men and women. “We know women get paid less than men,” so don’t just ask the women in the industry, she warns.

3. Pay attention during the interview process

As you go through an interview process or negotiation, it’s important to get as much information as you can about the role you’re up for. “Try to ask questions that give you a deeper understanding of the work you’ll be doing beyond the job description,” Twillie says. “If you can understand what you’ll be doing upfront, you’ll be able to negotiate for different things.”

Twillie tells applicants that, when they see a job description, they should “look at it as if it’s a fill-in-the-blank for a test. A lot of the time, it’s not a full picture of what you’d be doing day to day.” She encourages applicants to “generate some questions” and “read between the lines.” For example, if a job description says that in your role, you will get special projects assigned from time to time, you’d want to ask, what kind of special projects? Who are the key partners involved? Depending on the answers you get, you might have some connections that could be  potential partners on that project or past experiences that will help you drive results.

4. Set a salary range

When creating salary ranges, Feldman and Schuliger assign four levels: walkaway, value, aspirational, and reach. Walkaway salary is your lowest salary you’ll accept. Value salary adds in market value. And aspirational salary is usually around $10,000 to $20,000 more than market value. And a reach salary is the highest number you were able to find for the role within the industry.

Use the range to negotiate the amount you want. “We love ranges because it helps candidates continue taking,” says Feldman. “It gives space to negotiate.”

5. Don’t forget about perks and benefits

One thing many professionals forget is that salary is not the only part of your pay package. Benefits, savings, and discounts can all contribute to your financial well-being and satisfaction at work, so these should not be ignored.

If your future employer can’t go up high enough on salary, consider other ways you can make the most of your money.  Job seekers should think outside of the box and ask for benefits that aren’t necessarily included in the “standard” compensation package. “When you’re starting to think about negotiating, it just depends on what your goals are,” says Tracy Saunders, a former recruiter who started the Women’s Job Search Network. “There are some new benefits coming into play that are intangibly valuable–or priceless.”

As companies race to snag the best employees, many have rounded out their compensation packages with more attractive benefits and perks–say, a flexible vacation policy or the ability to work remotely. Some employers are even offering to assist with student loan repayments. Twillie notes that there are countless ways to negotiate benefits, and that would-be employees can even repurpose a perk that they don’t need: One person she coached asked to put a superfluous relocation package toward repaying her student loans. “If they’re giving you a bucket of money,” she says, “see if you can use it in a different area.”

For parents, another option is to request a bump in pay over the summer, to account for the cost of childcare; and for employees who yearn to be parents, employers might help subsidize fertility treatments or adoption assistance. (“These are really high-ticket, high-price benefits,” Saunders adds.)

6. Think about your needs and wants

Take time to figure out what you need from a compensation package and what would just be nice to have. For example, you may need a specific salary amount or healthcare coverage, but tuition reimbursement would be a nice add-on. This step is a personal part of the process.

“On the table can be benefits, paid time off, stocks, or working from home,” says Schuliger. “A lot of things increase quality of life outside of money. Find out your options to get in the best position.”

You also want to think about what the job requires of you. That could include a travel allowance or a certification–or it could be as simple as the right equipment. “People think they’ll be provided with the tools,” Twillie says, “but if you don’t ask for those things, you’re not going to get them.” Asking for what you need during the negotiation process, she argues, can prove more effective.

7. Negotiate with facts, not emotions

Negotiating your salary can be an emotional process for a number of reasons. You might feel anxious about asserting yourself. Alternatively, you might feel frustrated that you were offered a lower number than expected in the first place and feel underappreciated. Despite how difficult it may be, try to set your emotions aside during the negotiation process and lead with facts instead.

If you lead with your emotions, no matter what they may be, this could cause tension or conflict, and may damage your chances of moving into a higher salary bracket.

The key to understanding what kind of negotiating power you have is to take the emotion out of the process and focus on facts. “Money is personal, but when you’re presented with research you can understand what your value is,” says Feldman, who is the coauthor of Bold: Get Noticed, Get Hired.

It’s important to focus on the word “value” instead of “worth,” adds Schuliger. “Worth is tied directly to job performance and to feelings,” she says. “Objectively a manager has to make a case for the salary, and it’s going to be tied to the market rate, the location, and the present time, which could be up or down. It helps to use the word ‘value’ to remove some of the emotion.”

So you should go into any negotiation with memorized facts and figures in the forefront of your mind, ready to recite and prove you’re worth the money. (Or write them down! It’s not a school exam, notes are allowed.)

8. Talk about your impact 

In a negotiation, you’re essentially “selling” yourself to an employer, so come prepared. No one knows what you do—and how well you do it—better than you, especially if you’re negotiating your starting salary at a new company. 

“Once you finish the interview process, you should have a clear idea of how you can add value to the organization, ” Twillie says. She suggests that candidates start preparing by using this information and asking themselves, “how can I leverage my network or my skills?” Having clear answers to these questions will help you a great deal come negotiation time.

Think about what makes you stand out. Take the time to outline what you do on a daily basis and the accomplishments you’ve made within or for the company (or at your previous company). Make them aware of the hard work you’ve done.

By clearly setting out what makes you unique and how you can drive the business forward, you demonstrate to employers how you can make a real difference—and, importantly, why you’re worth the salary you’re seeking. Just make sure that everything you’re saying is completely true. Don’t make up figures to seem impressive or embellish your achievements.

Make sure you have a few detailed examples you can relay, including figures wherever possible. Note any specific metrics such as money saved or brought in, processes streamlined, people hired, or anything else that shows what you’re bringing to the table. This way, you’re offering proof and tangible achievements that will influence their salary decisions.

9. Be direct and don’t apologize

Asking for more money is awkward and uncomfortable, but if you apologize every step of the process, you’re undermining yourself. Don’t say sorry. The lack of conviction might make employers think you lack confidence in yourself or your work.

Stay away from negative wording. Remember, you’re working with an employer to get a raise. The word “no” can often end the conversation or slow the momentum. Try shifting to the positive like, “I’d be more comfortable with…” or “Is it possible…” to keep the conversation going and open to more prospects.