It has happened to the best of us. We land the interview, get the phone call that we got the job, and then they low-ball the pay. Now what? Do you automatically turn down the job or do you try to negotiate for better pay? Well, that depends on how badly you want the job and what you are willing to give up for the position.
The first thing to do before making any hasty decisions is to make sure that you are taking into account the other benefits of the job. If the benefits are spectacular, are you really willing to walk away from the job over the pay? Next, do some research and find out what others in the same position are making at different companies. Just because you think that the position should pay more, does not always mean that is what the job market is demanding.
Be sure to take into account the benefits of these positions as well. If, through your research, you find that other companies are paying higher than what the company has offered you and offering the same benefit packages, there is no written rule that says you cannot try to negotiate the pay scale. However, if this is the route you are willing to take, there is a right way of going about the negotiation process. If you know how to respond to a job offer correctly, you have a chance of getting the job you want and the pay you demand.
Once you have the results of your research and you feel that you would like to respond to a job offer by asking for a higher salary, you should ask to set up a meeting with the hiring manager. Let the hiring manager know that you would like to negotiate the salary of the job before accepting the position. There is really no sophisticated way of doing this, so just make sure that you are polite and non-accusing. You need to take the approach that you believe in yourself, your skills, and your worth. Be sure to stay calm and professional throughout the negotiation process. If you lose your temper, you will have lost the job before it even began. It is important to show your potential boss that you can think on your feet and can handle stress in a positive way.
Once you get the ball rolling, human resources will probably take over the negotiating process and hopefully will send a counter offer back with terms you are happy with. If they stick firm with the salary amount they initially offered, you will then need to make the decision to either take the job and be happy with the compensation packaged offered with the position, or walk away and start your job search again.
Even if you don’t get the exact results you were expecting, you will have gained the respect of the hiring manager by standing up for what you believe in.
