Once you’ve had your job interview, when is a good time to negotiate salary? First of all you need to wait until you have a job offer, or until the salary conversations come up. Don’t just bring it up out of the blue. Once you’re given an offer, or THEY bring up your salary requirements, then the discussion begins.
This is the time to negotiate. Don’t wait to talk about it later. You can’t be afraid to negotiate for what you want unless the employer has said this is high as they can go, or you know they don’t negotiate about salary. Depending on the industry or situation, most hiring managers expect employees to negotiate for a higher salary in many cases.
Here’s what you need do…
Before you dive into the conversation, be sure you have done your research. You have to remember that compensation is not just about salary and flex-time. Some employers pay for daycare, education, benefits, vacation time, etc. For example, my career coaching client Margaret in Philadelphia asked for a higher salary. The company came up on the offer but weren’t able to match her request. So, she negotiated that she could work from home one day a week.
When the conversation comes up, explain that you are excited about the opportunity and that you’d like to speak with them about their salary offer/compensation package. Just remember, it takes a balance between your needs and theirs.
Hallie Crawford
Career Coach
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