How to Negotiate Your Salary Once You Get a Job Offer

Once the interviews are over and a job offer is on the table, it's important to make sure you're accepting an offer you are happy with. Negotiating your compensation with a new company can feel daunting, but here are some tips to help you in that conversation. A transcript of the video can be found below. 

Hi! I’m Emily with Vault and I’m here today to help you negotiate your compensation once you land a job offer.

When negotiating your compensation, there are a couple things you need to know.

First, find out what the average salary is for someone in this particular role with similar experience.

Second, know how you’ll add value to the business. Think about concrete examples that highlight your educational background, work experience, skills, and certifications.

And third, never give a company an ultimatum. You want to have a calm and structured conversation. Using an ‘all or nothing’ approach could cost you the job offer entirely.

Here is an example of this in action.
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Interviewer: We’re delighted to extend you a job offer. Please take some time to look it over and let us know your decision!

Emily: Thank you so much for this opportunity. I read over the job offer and really appreciate the time your team has put into this process. Before I accept this offer, I want to discuss the compensation package. After doing some research into the market value for this position, I’m hoping we can work together to increase my salary to match this number.

Interviewer: Okay. Can you explain a bit more about why you believe you should earn a higher salary?

Emily: I believe I’m worth this number because of what I can bring to the company. I’ve proven that I can produce quality content that an audience will enjoy. Altogether, my articles have received more than 500,000 pageviews.

I also bring to the table significant experience. During two internships I became proficient in three different content management systems, gained a lot of experience in copyediting and SEO practices, and improved my video editing skills.

I’m very excited about this position and opportunity to work with the company, and hope we can find a solution we’re both happy with.

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After that, the decision is in the company’s hands. They might be able to meet your requests, but they might not.

It’s important to prepare to hear ‘no,’ because sometimes there are budget restraints in place that you can’t work around.

The final decision to accept or decline an offer is ultimately yours, so make sure you’re making the best decision for your life.

If you remember the key points of market research, concrete examples, and showing enthusiasm, you’ll be putting your best foot forward during your negotiation.

For more career advice, check out Vault.com!