Talking about money – 7 tips to ensure you don’t undersell yourself and get the salary you deserve!

1) Work out your own minimum requirements first!

2) Try to find out in advance of your interview what your skills are worth (e.g. similar jobs with other         companies; business groups e.g. Chamber of Commerce; Job Centre; recruitment agencies; trade union or professional association).

3) Try to avoid talking about money until you have been offered the position.

4) Always let the interviewer mention salary first. If they ask what figure you are looking to earn, try to field the question by raising a question in return, e.g. ‘What salary range were you thinking of?’ or ‘do you mind if I answer that question when I have a clearer understanding of what the job entails?’

5) If the interviewer presses you for an answer then focus on giving a range rather than one figure ensuring that the bottom of your range is above your minimum requirements.

NB: It is always possible to negotiate downwards but once a figure/range has been mentioned it is very difficult to negotiate upwards.

6) Don’t necessarily accept the first offer made to you. The employer is probably offering you a salary level which provides them with some room for manoeuvre.

7) You can always field their first offer by asking a question such as:

 ‘Is this figure set in stone? Is there any room for negotiation?’

You have nothing to lose by fielding questions in this way and the bottom line may be that the employer cannot offer you any more in terms of salary but you may be able to negotiate on other things such as hours, holidays, parking or other benefits.

If you would like to discuss your own situation whether you have recently been made redundant/unemployed or are seeking to improve your current job prospects then please do give me a call on 07875 320793. I would be happy to have a chat with you.