DIY Management: How to negotiate your salary like a pro

HR consultant Cori Maedel, CEO of The Jouta Performance Group, and career counsellor Marlene Haley, principal of Careers You Love, Inc., tell us how to negotiate salary from both sides of the desk

1. Start with a plan
A company’s compensation plan needn’t be fancy, says Maedel, but it does need to fit the organization’s culture, values, vision and budget. Some employers want to attract A+ players and are willing to pay accordingly; others may pay less but compensate with extra holidays or other perks. “They need to know what their threshold is,” says Maedel. “Do this before you actually advertise for the role.”

2. Do your research
As a prospective employee, you shouldn’t be walking into an interview without having researched that company and industry and done a salary survey, says Haley. Check job postings or ask at least 10 colleagues the salary range for similar positions in that industry. Maedel plugs market data into a spreadsheet to determine salary ranges for clients.

3. Know what the job entails
Don’t discuss salary until the job has been clearly defined for you and you know exactly what your responsibilities are going to be and the scope of responsibility, says Haley. Otherwise you could be negotiating for the wrong job. Maedel recommends asking to see the company’s employee handbook to understand not only responsibilities but how (and how often) compensation is reviewed.

4. You go first
Ideally you want the employer to discuss salary range first, says Haley, but “if you are going to be forced to talk, you’re not going to be all that squeamish about it if you really know what’s going on in the industry. Start your range of what you’re looking for just below what you know is the employer’s maximum.”

5. No, you go first
“I would never as an interviewer go first,” says Maedel. An employer doesn’t have to divulge what their range is. “It is a cat and mouse game—a little bit back and forth—but both sides have to be really clear what their bottom lines are. You ask them what their salary expectations are, and they’ll either fit within your range or they won’t.”

6. Is that all there is?
If the bottom lines are too far apart, the employee can offer to discuss salary in return for other considerations. “But there has to be a reason, because I want to know if I’m hiring you that you are really clear what you are worth and that it’s a reasonable worth,” says Maedel. “Don’t complain to the employer a year later that you’re not making what you’re worth. It’s like getting married and expecting your husband to change.”