Are You Armed To Negotiate The Best Salary?

by Kenneth Anczerewicz

Who doesn't want a better salary? We all could use a pay raise, but the problem is—how to get it? How should you approach the boss? What should you say? And—equally importantly—what should you avoid saying in order to plead your case in the most effective way possible?

The first step to making sure you make a good case for yourself is to have all the knowledge you can gather up. How much are other employees in your position making? Try to obtain this information discreetly—don't just ask your coworkers what their salary is. Be sensitive to the fact that others may not want to tell you how much money they make, and be respectful. Before your negotiations, be sure and double check that your information is accurate.

But don't be too quick to use your coworkers higher salaries as justification for your own pay raise. You need to think about why you may be getting paid less. Is your performance weak in any way? Are you substantially newer at the company? Do you work fewer hours than others in your same position? Do you contribute less overall? These are all factors that may affect how much compensation you get for your work.

If your lower pay/salary is a result of poor performance, then you should focus on improved accomplishments at the workplace. Make it obvious to all those around you that you deserve more money. Always arrive on time, stay late if possible, and don't goof off during work hours. Don't just do the bare minimum, but rather go above and beyond the call of duty at every opportunity you are presented with. It's the overachievers who generally are given the greatest rewards.

The best way to prove your solid work ethic is to arrive for negotiation armed with a list of your accomplishments. This is especially important if the employer is not someone you work with closely on a daily basis. The key to making your boss want to reward you with a higher salary is to show him/her the significance of your contributions. It's especially beneficial to show how your work has increased revenue, decreased expenses, made the company more productive, created greater overall accuracy and minimized error, and so on.

And what if your employer still won't budge on the question of salary? There are other ways you can be compensated, so don't give up yet. Asking for additional benefits is one great way to make sure you are getting what you deserve. For example, an employer may be much more willing to give you an extra week of vacation or free night courses to enrich your skill set.

About the Author

Ken Anczerewicz is an author and publisher devoted to helping career & job seekers of all ages realize their financial goals through creating their own income streams. Learn more by clicking here now: http://www.resourceriver.com

How To Ask For A Pay Raise

You already know this, don't you? The frustration of feeling underpaid and the anger of knowing you should be making more. Also, the nervousness — considering you don't want to get fired, but you know you need to ask for a raise ... Do you know how much you should ask for? When's the best time to ask? What type of letter should you write? How are you going to collect your proof and how do you present your case to your boss? ... Do you ask for a promotion, or just a salary increase? ... And how do you negotiate for the most you can get? ...

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You can't negotiate without being prepaired to walk away. I've worked from this strategy for years and it has helped very much. Unfortunately negotiating for a job is a little difficult unless you have other backup offers (which I recommed). And for crying out loud, ask for more than you want and act like you are settling for the outcome when you get what you want. Good luck!

I personally have not had a job for years. But, the negotiating comes into play for me very often. With business people, friends and family. It seems it is a constant negotiation. I hope the info above helps you in your situation.