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NEGOTIATING THE DEAL

Whether you have secured an offer via a recruitment consultancy or direct from an employer, you will need to be heavily involved in Negotiating the Deal.  

However, long before the offer stage you must prepare for this moment, so that when the time does come to discuss remuneration and benefits - you are fully prepared. 

Preparation 

Research
Research the market in relation to similar jobs and be able to confidently discuss the market salaries in relation to these roles and demonstrate where/how you obtained your information if questioned.   Be prepared to justify your salary expectations and how you reached the figures you have.  

History
You may be asked for details on your remuneration and benefits packages from previous employment.   Make sure you have all this information available.   This enables an interviewer to build up a picture of your professional experience in relation to your remuneration and the salary increments you have experienced historically.  

Benchmark
Here you want to consider 3 numbers:

a) The minimum salary for which you would be prepared to move.
b) The ideal salary to encourage you to move.
c) The (realistic) dream salary that you can't afford to reject.

Once you have these numbers you should keep the first number to yourself for last minute negotiations.   When you communicate to a recruitment consultant or employer your salary expectations it is always best to go with a range i.e. the second and third numbers.   This way you should get the best from your negotiations. 

Communicating Your Expectations

Many people find negotiating the salary an embarrassing or awkward time.

There are a few things you can do to make this easier:

1) Make sure that you communicate your salary expectations at the start of the recruitment process so that when/if it does come to negotiating that you have made you expectations clear from the outset.

2) If you are well prepared you will be able to answer questions more comfortably and confidently.

Things to avoid 

• If you are interviewing via a recruitment consultancy, make sure you are both communicating the same figures to the client/interviewer.   Discrepancies in the level of salary expected raises negative questions.

• Never be dishonest about your current salary to improve an offer.   It may lead to awkward questioning at interview and leads to negative thoughts.   Most jobs require a certain skill-set and as a result command a certain salary.   If you are capable of doing the job then you are capable of earning the reward – be confident in your skills.

• When you communicate your salary it should always be 'Basic Salary’.   Bonuses are not normally guaranteed and cannot be considered Basic Salary.   Always make it clear how your remuneration package is broken down.

Evaluating The Offer

In the ‘lifestyle’ culture that surrounds us these days, negotiating the deal is not just about the level of salary offered.   It is important to consider a number of other factors.  

Things to consider include:  

• Working environment
• Firm culture
• Hours of work
• Location
• Commute
• Training & Development
• Career prospects
• Colleagues
• Quality of work 

Remember 

• Take your time to consider the offer but be reasonable, if you do not accept the offer the employer may have to revert to another individual.

• You don’t have to accept or reject the first offer.

• Make an assessment based on all the facts available.