This write-up will focus on new-hires into a company or organization negotiating a pay package with their prospective bosses. Before you even begin salary negotiations with a prospective employer, you need to find out how much the job is worth – and how much your skills and experience are worth to the employer. Take the time to research salaries long before you even begin discussing pay. That way you will be prepared to make your case and land a job offer that’s realistic and reasonable. Sometime during your interview, your prospective employers will ask what your salary expectations are, employers tend to use this to wean off interviewees that have too high a salary expectation and to find employees that fit their budget for this vacancy. It is therefore important that you don’t price yourself out of contention for the position, try to find as much as possible about this organization so you can be able to make a well-educated guess, your main goal during this first interview should be getting a call back.
After the string of interviews, you eventually get the call offering you the job. Typically in Nigeria, benefits a company provides are a given and is standard for all employees, so there’s no negotiating there. The salary package however, is up for a bit of negotiation, here are some tips to help that negotiating process.
Let the other side make the first offer
Your goal is to allow the employer to suggest a salary, from this figure you can begin decide if the job is worth you negotiating, it will also give you a sense of how much wiggle room your prospective employers have.
Counter the offer with a researched response.
Your counter-offer should be based on what you know about yourself, the market, and the company. Therefore, it is vital to do some research before the interview so that you know a reasonable salary range for your position.
Be persistent
In many cases, the employer will reject your first request for a higher offer. Don’t let this deter you. Push back gently, justifying your proposed salary. Explain how the company will benefit from the investment.
Be flexible
If the company won’t budge on salary, negotiate other compensation. Ask for things like an extra week of vacation, a private office, or a flexible schedule. (Maybe you can work four ten-hour days instead of driving to the office five days a week!)