Want hike in initial salary? 5 practical ways to negotiate

A survey conducted by Glassdoor revealed that a staggering 59 percent of employees accepted their initial salary offers without negotiating. Understandably, the thought alone of asking for more money might seem uncomfortable to you, but failing to know your worth could lose you more than just money.
 

Here are a few ways to negotiate your initial salary offer.

1. Use your accomplishments as ammo
 

Don’t give them a low-ball figure of your expected salary. If the application requires a number, leave it blank.

Make it clear early on that you’re absolutely confident of your worth (within reason) without having to divulge a number. 

2. Be transparent about other offers
 

But let them know they’re your preferred company.

Remember to do this with complete honesty and don’t get caught on a bluff. Once they know other companies are interested, they might begin to sweat a little, especially if you’re considered a priority. 

3. Go off topic
 

Talk about more personal details about yourself and forget about the goal for a second.

For example, “Growing up with brothers meant playing console and computer games, which eventually evolved into a deeper interest in programming.”

4. Prepare for war
 

The negotiation process might be a tug-of-war between you and the hiring manager. If you think the offers were below your expectations and worth, then do not accept it.

5. Walk away
 

Negotiations don’t always go according to plan. If the offer is way below your worth, get ready to say “no” and don’t look back.

What’s the trade-off?
 

Don’t get caught up in the limited satisfaction promised by bigger money. Negotiating your offer should not only apply to the salary, don’t forget the other — and more important factors — of your career. Will you learn from this new role? Are you promised a promotion after x number of years?
 

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This is an excerpt from Tech in Asia. You can read the full article here