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Getting the most out of salary negotiations can be daunting when you’re new to the working world. Each company has different protocols for salary - both in determining the initial offer and raises throughout your tenure with the company. While salaries across the country vary from region to region, there are some general tactics everyone can keep in mind to bring their best to the negotiating table.
1. Understand “Who Am I” and articulate your value in terms of experience and quantifying your level of skills.
Knowing who you are and what you can offer professionally is the basic building block of your negotiation. You should be able to give a brief, one-sentence statement as a description of your work self, and then back that up with quantifiable, numbers-based examples. If you describe yourself as a “skilled project manager with experience using multiple project management platforms who increased her team’s productivity by 7% last quarter,” be prepared to show how the team’s productivity increased and how it affected the company’s bottom line.
2. Research current and future company initiatives and understand your audience in alignment with what your impact could be.
If you’re aiming to ask for a raise, consider your company’s upcoming projects and goals. Ask your supervisors about what might be on the horizon and consider how you can support those goals. Lay out your skills already, and be open and eager to learn what else you need to know. If you’re interviewing for jobs, dig into your potential workplaces online. Look at their websites, quarterly reports and any press on upcoming projects. You can even explore the profiles of current employees on LinkedIn to see what kinds of things they’re working on to get a sense of the organization’s day-to-day work and how you could contribute. Be specific! Highlight skills you’re confident in and how you’ve used them in the past to demonstrate how they can be put to work at your new company.
3. Your LinkedIn profile and other examples of work must be professional, show progression, be easy to navigate and speak to the skills necessary to meet the industry position.
Make the most of your LinkedIn profile! It can do some of the heavy lifting your resume won’t. When listing positions, be sure to include quantifiable accomplishments: “Completed 17 assigned projects on time and under budget," and "Trained and then supervised two junior employees.” Make your ascent in a company clear, even if your title didn’t change, by showing how you acquired knowledge and applied it to the position you held. Include various trainings you’ve attended and certificates you’ve earned. Ask people to recommend who can speak to your continued advancement and skills. Review the job listing you’re applying to and ensure your profile aligns with that listing, just as you would with your resume! Include keywords from the listing and demonstrate those skills clearly. Fill in the entire profile and think of it as your first impression. The same goes for a personal website. It should be clear, easy to find samples of your work and a visual representation of you. Never miss a great opportunity to sell yourself to a potential employer and convince them of what you’re worth!
