Back to Career Advice Services Home
How to negotiate a salary increase
Whether you have just been offered a new position or feel that you have a good case for negotiating a better salary for your current position, the basic principles of negotiation are the same.
Be prepared: Whether it’s a new role or your current position, ensure that you fully understand the requirements of the role and how your skills and achievements match up to this. It is also important to ensure that the decision maker fully understands what you can do for the organisation. These elements must be clear before any negotiations are entered into.
If this is a new job opening, it is also important to know the full remuneration details and once an offer has been made, take some time to consider your decision and be honest with yourself. If you feel the salary is fair for the level of responsibility, then don’t enter salary negotiations just to see how far you can push it. If the package is fair, the likelihood is that there will be little or no room for negotiating. If, however, you feel the package is not a fair reflection of the requirements of the role or feel there is much more you can bring to the position than is specified, then structure your argument in a clear and concise manner, demonstrating how much you can bring to the role and ensuring that they can clearly see why your request is justified.
If you have prompted the negotiations surrounding your current position, the basic principle is the same but it may be useful to put together a portfolio of your achievements, so the decision maker can see in writing how you justify a pay increase. Another successful course of action is to undertake some industry benchmarking, to demonstrate how your salary compares in the market place. Always schedule an appointment to discuss this, rather than dropping it into a conversation over lunch and it is crucial that you don’t compare yourself to your colleagues, as the negotiations should be based purely on your own ability.
In either instance, ensure that any verbal offer is followed up in writing and, if the negotiations are unsuccessful, express your disappointment but accept their decision and remain professional at all times.