Negotiating salary by Salary.com

Salary negotiation is one of the most unnerving pieces of the employment puzzle. Salary.com has a ten-step program to make the process easier.

Step one involves making sure you have as accurate of a job description of your current role as possible. It's a great idea to always save your current job description in a file as soon as you take a new position...this gives you information to refer back to when it is time to update your resume or start negotiating your salary for a new job or an increase at your current company.

Second, compare your title and job description to a few similar descriptions on Salary.com. Because job titles and descriptions are not consistent across companies, focus more on responsibilities than titles. Find the best fit before comparing salaries. Salary.com recommends using its Salary Wizard to compare jobs.

Once you find the best fit (it should be at least a 70% match), be sure to factor in your industry, the organization's size and your location. Step 4 is to review the other benefits offered by a company: health care, work/life balance, room for advancement, bonus structure, culture, flexible scheduling, and transportation access and costs (especially with gas prices out of control). Be sure that you are prepared to negotiate for things like flexible scheduling, remote work situations, and paid time off in addition to salary.

Next, review your performance and your own value in the marketplace. Review your feedback and performance reviews, any high profile projects you've completed or clients you've pleased, and what leadership opportunities you've been provided. Salary.com has a Performance Self Test to help you make this determination.

It's time to review the information and decide if you only want to negotiate salary and, if so, what your target is and what the minimum is you will settle for.

Now comes the hard part and why most of us falter at the point of salary negotiation. It's time to bolster confidence! Keep several things in mind while doing this: YOU and your work are of value, to the customer and to your boss; recruiting new staff is expensive and time-consuming and your company does not want to do this; costs of living are rising (though never use "I need the money" as part of your negotiation script); you don't get anything if you never ask. Be well-prepared and breathe deep...and go discuss your performance, the marketplace and your job description with your manager.

Maintain eye contact, do not begin negotiating lower (i.e. "I'd like this increase, but I'm willing to settle for this") until necessary, and be prepared to listen calmly. Your manager may have real information you don't have or a strict increase budget (very common in larger corporations) that she has little control over.

Finally, be prepared to discuss what this increase will bring to the company-what new contributions you are prepared to make, what your objectives are for the following review period. If, at this point, you were unable to secure an increase, you should at least have very concrete steps for what is necessary to do so the next time you approach management. Take notes of your progress so you are prepared, in advance, for the next discussion.

Lastly, be prepared on some level to leave your existing company, particularly if pay increases are chronically small or difficult to come by.

Unfortunately, pay progress is often made by joining a new company than by staying with your existing one.

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