Keys to Passive Salary Negotiation For Job-Seekers Who Don't Like Negotiating

by Jack Chapman
Passive negotiating. So you're not one who enjoys conflict? In fact you avoid confrontation of any kind? You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or take advantage of anyone. You're a giver -- not so good at receiving? You're a helper, not so good at being helped?
Here's the two things you can do that will not create the dreaded possibility of tension and disapproval, but give you a chance to add dollars to your paychecks.
Some negotiations require action on your part. Documenting, comparing, estimating, promising, etc. Other things are more passive. you want the least amount of negotiating besides saying "OK" (which is simply no negotiation at all!) consider these two passive techniques.
1. Be quiet when it's time to be quiet. You can still be an agreeable person, just don't agree right away! Use "The Flinch." When it comes time -- and it will come time to do this no matter how nice you are -- to talk money, simply let them talk. You don't need to break in; don't need to counter offer; don't need to do anything proactive, or even reactive: just be quiet. When you hear their offer, repeat it and say "Hmmm." Think about it. You will probably get a raise on the spot.
2. Ask "What's the best you can do?" You don't need to argue, present your evidence, make a case, etc. You don't need to say "no" to the offer you received or re-negotiate terms or cover fine pits. You don't need to demand more money or even ask for more money. You won't push them outside their comfort zone. Simply say, "Wow, thanks for your offer. I look forward to starting. And I'm not a very good negotiator, so I prefer to leave this up to you -- I trust you'll tell me the truth. What's the best you can do?
There, that's not so hard, is it? Have fun! 

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How to Handle Salary Requirements When Applying for a Job

Posted by Kristina Cowan

Job interviewing is like art: it requires skill, dexterity, and the right tools and environment. Make one wrong move and the result can be disastrous. This is especially true when it comes to discussing salary requirements. As a job-seeker, approaching a conversation with a prospective employer about salary requirements can be tricky.

How soon can you expect an employer to ask you about your salary requirements? Should you ever include salary requirements in a cover letter? How can you pick a salary that doesn't aim too high or too low?

To find sage answers to these and other basic questions about salary requirements, I tapped several career experts for their wisdom.

The Ins and Outs of Salary Requirements

Question: When interviewing for a new job, what are some basic principles job-seekers should keep in mind about their salary requirements?

Answers: "Salary requirements should be based on the market value for a particular skill set or job … not on the job seeker’s needs or desires," says Barbara Safani, president of New York-based Career Solvers, a career-management firm. You should be flexible, too, knowing much can transpire during the time when a job is first posted and when it's filled, she explains. "If a position seems perfect for you, but the salary is lower than you had hoped for, go through the interview process and sell your value to the hiring manager throughout. Once a hiring manager decides that you are the right candidate, they will be more willing to negotiate salary."

Dr. Rachelle J. Canter, author of “Make the Right Career Move: 28 Critical Insights and Strategies to Land Your Dream Job,” urges job-seekers to focus not just on salary requirements, but on opportunity. To that end, she advises asking yourself some key questions, such as:

* Will this job provide you with crucial experiences, skills, and accomplishments that you need to attain your dream job eventually?

* Will it fill in critical gaps in your industry or job experience?

* Will it give you visibility with an audience you previously were unknown to?

Question: Should job-seekers mention salary requirements in cover letters?

Answer: "No no no-–salary is a way to screen you out (too high or too low), and you want a chance to look over a prospective employer before being eliminated," Canter explains.

Question: Should job-seekers give an exact salary figure, or a salary range?

Answers: If you have to, give a range for your salary requirements, Canter says, but try to stay focused on whether the job is the right fit."Once an employer falls in love with you, your negotiating power increases exponentially," she says.

Safani also recommends a range instead of a specific number, because it gives you wiggle room once you get to the salary negotiation stage.

Question: How soon during the interviewing process can a job-seeker expect the salary requirement conversation to come up?

Answer: It could arise as soon as the first interview, so you need to know your competitive market value before you start interviewing, Safani says. You can try deferring the conversation by saying you'd like to learn more about the job, so you can gauge whether it's a good match before rolling out your salary requirements. If an employer presses you for a "ballpark figure," ask for the salary range of the job, Safani says; if they won't divulge it, say based on your research, you've found that pay for such positions is "between X and Y," and ask if that's consistent with their range.

Question: How do you determine what your salary requirements should be, so you’re not aiming too high or low?

Answer: "Job seekers should benchmark their market value by talking with recruiters and colleagues, researching salary ranges for comparable positions on the job boards, reviewing salary information available through professional associations, and of course reviewing information on PayScale," according to Safani.

Questions: What if a prospective employer asks to verify your current salary with your current employer? What if this jeopardizes your current position?

Answer: "Until there is an offer on the table, this question should not come up. Once an offer is made, this is considered fair game as part of the due diligence process for some employers," Safani says. "Job seekers can politely explain that if an offer is extended, they would be willing to have their salary information verified."

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How To Negotiate A Starting Salary For A New Job

When you are negotiating a starting salary for a new job, knowing the appropriate starting salary and successful negotiating techniques is invaluable . We've teamed up with acclaimed salary negotiation expert and author, Jack Chapman, to bring you practical advice on negotiating a starting salary for a new job.

Five simple starting salary rules:

Rule #1) Postpone talking about starting salary until there's an offer on the table

Rule #2) Let the other person name a figure first

Rule #3) Repeat their starting salary offer and be quiet

Rule #4) Share your researched starting salary range and establish your individual value

Rule #5) Clinch the deal and deal some more

Starting Salary Rule #1 - When to Discuss Starting Salary

There's not much point in discussing starting salary unless you're sure you're going to get an offer, make sense? But more than that, it's not to your advantage to talk about your starting salary. When an employer asks "what are your salary requirements?" or "what are you currently earning?" they are gathering information on your likely expectations. There are maybe two or three right answers to this question and more than 20 wrong ones. Too high and you're screened out, too low and you'll lose money in the initial offer, or you'll be eliminated as under-qualified based on your low salary requirements.

The proper time to discuss your starting salary is after the job position has been defined and you are sure the employer understands what you are bringing to the table.

Until then, a good postponing phrase would be, "All I'll require is a competitive salary. I will likely be using PayScale and other resources to help determine that -- as I presume you will, too. So I'm confident the starting salary will take care of itself, if I'm the right person for the job."

Starting Salary Rule #2 - Who Goes First

When they're ready to make an offer, here's a second piece of timing advice: don't haul out your research too soon! When it comes to discussing your starting salary, let the employer go first. That way you have a firm starting point that you can be assured of, when it is your turn. Generally, you'll want to bump the starting salary up 5-10% or more. But, in the worst case scenario, if they go first, you certainly won't get less than their initial offer. Additionally, there is always the chance that they will exceed the starting salary figure you were planning to mention.

NOW do you show your salary research? NO.... Not yet.

Starting Salary Rule #3 – Repeat The Offer And Be Quiet

Once they go first, you respond by repeating their starting salary offer and remaining silent. If they have given you a low-ball offer, and they know it, now is the time for them to increase their offer. Okay, I’ve heard the offer, I’ve greeted it with silence, now do I get to use my salary report?

Maybe...

Starting Salary Rule #4 - Share Your Researched Range and Establish Your Individual Value

If you are reading this article, you have probably done some research about what your salary should be. If you haven't or want more accurate and reliable salary information, complete our brief salary survey to determine what the average salary and salary range is for your new position.

Now that you have the salary information necessary for negotiating, I want you to learn the value of having PayScale salary report in hand. The best way to leverage a PayScale salary report for a successful negotiation is to set your own expectations about how you will use your report. Know what information your report contains, and especially know what the data represents - what is behind the numbers - before taking it to the boss or a potential employer.

When you compared your research with your offer, you were either under market, over market, or right in the range. If your salary research indicates that the offer is below the range for your specific job and responsibilities, now is the time to share your research with the employer and discuss how the employer arrived at his/her estimates. Often you will find some points of disagreement on which to negotiate an increase.

Keep in mind that the employer will likely view compensation data differently than the employee. Two common points the employer may wish to discuss are the sources used to obtain the data in the report, and whether the data in the report matches your job profile, the company profile, and job location.

Finally, when a company wants to buy your time and effort, remember it's a human being who makes the decision. It isn't a cut and dried assessment; it's a rational-emotive process that takes into account many factors that aren't always fair or logical. Your awareness of these factors can greatly improve your chances for improving your salary.

Starting Salary Rule #5 - Clinch the Deal and Deal Some More

Finally, you receive a salary that you can live with and is fair. Do you sign it then? Well, yes and no. Yes, you now have a firm base to agree to, that you know you will be happy with. But, don't stop! It is now time to put your attention on the other factors of the salary-equation gold mine.

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