Quick Question - Salary Negotiations

[MacroGuru]

I have never truly had to negotiate, although, I could have probably gotten more, because most companies I have worked for have paid me what I was asking.

However, I know I am a top runner for a position with a company...BUT....I do know they are trying to say that their pay price is top lined at about 5K less than what I want to accept.

Now, I will take their pay, however, I want to get additional benefits or something if I take a pay cut.

Is there any advice one can give me? Or Scenarios they have gone through?

[Raiders Army]

My personal opinion, but you need to justify your $5k. Why do you deserve it? Depending on the company, $5k per year isn't much. Cost of living, moving expenses, etc. could be good reasons why you deserve the money.

[moriarty]

I agree with Raiders, you have to build a case. Some other things that may factor besides the ones mentioned:
- current salary
- additional skills you have that weren't in their requirements (advanced education, extra experience, etc.)

Also, if you feel they won't budge on salary try to open up other channels for negotiation such as:
- stock options
- higher bonus (if they offer bonuses), or sign on bonus
- additional vacation time
- compensating you for any lost bonuses for leaving your previous company
- paying you for lost accrued vacation time at your old company

While some HR departments are constrained on salary, they may have more flexibility in other areas that are beneficial to you.

[WSUCougar]

Wear a low-cut blouse?

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by moriarty

I agree with Raiders, you have to build a case. Some other things that may factor besides the ones mentioned:
- current salary
- additional skills you have that weren't in their requirements (advanced education, extra experience, etc.)

Also, if you feel they won't budge on salary try to open up other channels for negotiation such as:
- stock options
- higher bonus (if they offer bonuses), or sign on bonus
- additional vacation time
- compensating you for any lost bonuses for leaving your previous company
- paying you for lost accrued vacation time at your old company

While some HR departments are constrained on salary, they may have more flexibility in other areas that are beneficial to you.

Ok, this is where I am curious about.

How would you push the negotiations into options, sign on bonuses and such. Normally, I have been told, we will offer you this much salary and this many options...

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Wear a low-cut blouse?

My Man boobs aren't sexy enough....they would get me kicked out....Mrs.IndoorSoccerSim could get away with it.

[gottimd]

I have done this a few times. Check out Salary.com and type/select your credentials. It will spit out a small report based on your location of the low/middle/high end salaries. Usually if an HR department sees proof that you are being paid lower than the average in your field in your location, they may (Stress "may") be more inclined to bump your salary up. Also, this must go along with what has already been stated in this thread by moriarty.

[moriarty]

Originally Posted by indoorsoccersim

Ok, this is where I am curious about.

How would you push the negotiations into options, sign on bonuses and such. Normally, I have been told, we will offer you this much salary and this many options...

Usually in my experience, the conversation goes something like,

"I really like the job opportunity you're presenting me, however, the salary isn't quite in line with what I was expecting based on my qualifications. I was hoping for X, and based on blah, blah, blah I think I qualify."

HR person: Sorry, but we really have no room to raise the salary for this position.

You: (either call BS, or...) Well, I'm going to have a hard time accepting that position at that salary given that I'm already making Y over here. Perhaps we could improve the offer in some other area to raise the total compensation package.

HR person: Possibly, what did you have in mind?

You: Well, an increase in the bonus/vacation/options/etc.. would help compensate for the loss in salary. I'd be willing to accept Z.

(and so on, until you get something).

I think the keyword here is 'total compensation package'. Many HR depts have a top level salary for a position (which you may or may not be getting), but they do have some flexibility in other areas especially one time compensations which they routinely pay to recruiters, etc..

[Cap Ologist]

Sign a 7 year contract, break your foot, come to work, then sit out next summer until they renegotiate. Also hire Drew Rosenhaus to be your agent.

[Ramzavail]

I was in salary negotiations and the company really wanted me.

I accepted a lower salary but agreed to take 2 reviews in the next year, usually only get one a year.

After I proved myself worthy, ultimately got 2 6 month raises.

So you could start with less to begin with but end up where you want to be in 1 years time.

[Eaglesfan27]

I don't have much to contribute constructively. However, I just finished a 4 months negotiation in which I managed to get my salary raised by approximately 25% during the 4 months to a very nice figure. I'm thrilled to have signed my deal. It was nice that we were negotiating for me to start in July and it gave me plenty of time to keep working on the counter offer process. I guess the only point is that if a place really wants you, you have to be willing to play a bit of chicken sometimes. However, it could blow up in your face.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Ramzavail

I was in salary negotiations and the company really wanted me.

I accepted a lower salary but agreed to take 2 reviews in the next year, usually only get one a year.

After I proved myself worthy, ultimately got 2 6 month raises.

So you could start with less to begin with but end up where you want to be in 1 years time.

This is the exact same situation I found myself in.

There's usually some flexibility: if you are confident you will be a success in your role, make a proposal that sets the expected earnings more along their level, but get the add-ons in commissions, bonuses, holiday, etc.
I took an 18 month sabbatical in Feb 2003, came back to a company who asked me directly to work for them 3-4 months before I came back, but were offering 12% less than I was on in 2003 - I needed to accept this job by July (as my sabbatical cost me lots!), but wanted and felt I would merit more - they agreed to increase my paid vacation by an extra 50%, shifted commission up a couple of tenths and agreed to the two 6-month reviews.

First one was a couple of months ago, they made up half the difference in salary and as I've done pretty good on figures the overall package is now more than the 2003 level (i.e. more than 12% higher than their initial offer after 6 months), with a promise of a further rise at the end of the summer.

Have faith, offer a reasonable proposal that means both you and the company will benefit, and if you do your stuff you will prove that you are worth at least what you are asking for...

I don't believe there's any technique or arrogance required (I generally have pretty low self confidence), as long as you are wanted, are asking for something that is still reasonable and you put your offer in terms that will benefit both parties, any company with ambition should be amenable to discuss terms.

[Raiders Army]

You can pull a Lebron James and hire one of your high school buddies to negotiate.

[digamma]

Ask for an offer letter, so you have their specific offer in writing. You can then mark-up that letter with your counters.

If they won't provide you with an offer letter (and some companies won't), moriarty's advice is pretty good (as well as others in this thread).

[AlexB]

Of course the other thing is how much you're enjoying your current job and how much you're likely to enjoy the new position - as long as you're still paid enough (in cash or benefits) to live comfortably, if you're likely to have reduced stress or simply personal fulfillment from the new job maybe that's worth a slight drop in hard salary?

[Raiders Army]

Let them know that sachmo's company took him to see Star Wars Episode III. That'll be the kicker.

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/foru...ad.php?t=39196

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

Let them know that sachmo's company took him to see Star Wars Episode III. That'll be the kicker.

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/foru...ad.php?t=39196

If my company tried to take me to see that steaming pile of crap, I would demand a raise.

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

If my company tried to take me to see that steaming pile of crap, I would demand a raise.

Really? Hmmm....work vs. seeing a movie (that even you can admit isn't as bad as Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!).

[st.cronin]

If my work was less pleasant than watching Revenge of the Sith, I would change careers. I'm deadly serious.