HOW TO NEGOTIATE A PAY RISE?

Succeeding in “hard” conversations is a skill that can be taught and acquired, and negotiating a pay rise is definitely something that falls into this category. Arm yourself with the following arguments and tips, and don’t hesitate to knock on your boss’s door.

First of all, whether you negotiate for your salary at all influences how others look at you. It is important to be able to make and defend a case for why you deserve a pay rise. Study your market value, the baseline of the salaries of employees around you, the economic conditions and list all the projects to which you added value (gather the data that you can quantify). Evaluate what you would like to bring to your company or department in the future and remember all the times you have been involved in projects or corporate activities where you have volunteered. The more prepared you are, the more successful the outcome will be.

Moreover, you can start building up your strategy for negotiating a pay rise from the very start — from the moment you seek employment at a company. Ask about when it is customary to review the performance and salaries of the employees, and mark a horizon for your own conversation about a salary rise. Later on, you will be able to return to this agreement and naturally go on with the question.

The opening is very important. Try to stay calm before the meeting and remain as cool-headed and business-like as you can. Say your first words to the person in front of you in a confident but respectful way. This will create a good initial impression you can then build on. Do not try to give a presentation or overtly impress your boss. Be brief, talk simply and ask open questions, making the decision-makers show their cards and talk about the future prospects for your position, the development of your department and how they see you working at the company.

It is important to remember that your aim is not (just) to get money, but to show your employers how you can advance their business. When you’ve done that, you can ask for an appropriate level of remuneration. Don’t present your current salary situation as a problem or give ultimatums, especially if you are not really ready to leave. Present yourself as a part of a solution to the company’s present and future challenges, and your bosses will realise that they just cannot afford not to give you a rise.

And finally, don’t jump to conclusions or give immediate answers after receiving a proposal. Allow yourself to think it over at least for a day. Whatever the result turns out to be, always thank your employer for listening and for giving you time. Whether you decide to build your strategies for development within the company or leaving for another job is, of course, up to you. However, maintaining a perfectly cordial relationship with your boss will definitely help you in the future.