If you receive a job interview or even a job offer, you may be both excited and nervous. The thing is, you may have to discuss salary, a process that many people are not comfortable with. The good news is that in many situations today, negotiations can be done via email, so the process is less awkward. With a few strategies and a few simple words, you can discuss salaries in an email in an effective and professional manner.
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Method 1 of 2: Asking Starting Salary
Step 1. Find information about salaries in your field
Before asking for starting salary, you should know the average salary range in the field. This way, you can immediately tell if the company is offering a substandard salary.
- Sites like Glassdoor and Payscale provide salary data for many companies and industries. Please go to the site to find out what salary levels can be compared to the job you are interested in.
- You can also ask friends and colleagues who work in the same field, if they don't mind telling them.
Step 2. Determine your personal salary range
You must determine the ideal salary target and the minimum salary you want to receive before asking for a starting salary. If it turns out that the starting salary offered does not meet the minimum standards, maybe you should not proceed to the interview stage.
- Maybe the interviewer will ask you what your target salary is before they give you your starting salary, and therefore you should set up an expected salary range.
- Research will help you determine your salary range. Use sites like Glassdoor and Payscale again to get an overview of the salaries of other people with your experience and education, in your field and in your city.
- Specific skills such as knowledge of a specific computer program, experience, and educational level such as having a bachelor's degree, can make you a desirable candidate and with a higher-than-average salary.
Step 3. Determine the starting salary before the second interview
If the starting salary is not stated in the vacancy, you do not need to ask before deciding whether or not to like the job. Please attend the first interview if you wish. However, don't accept a second interview until you know what your starting salary is.
While it is helpful to include a starting salary range in the vacancy, many employers do not provide this information because they may expect to find a candidate who does not know their own selling points and the average salary in their field, so that they may be underpaid. That's why you need to look for information before asking for a salary
Step 4. Ask for starting salary in reply email, not in new email
When a third-party recruiter or hiring manager emails to ask if you are interested in filling an available position or to schedule a second interview, use the reply message to ask what the salary is. If the company never contacts you, you can assume that they are not interested in hiring you so this starting salary issue is out of the question.
Another advantage of asking for salary in a reply message is that you don't have to think about the subject of the email
Step 5. Begin the email with a greeting and end with a digital signature and/or your name
Think of a job email like a written letter. In a greeting, use the name of the person who sent the email according to the name at the end of the message, or the name he uses when introducing himself if you have met in person.
Step 6. Ask for salary politely, but straightforwardly
Show enthusiasm. If the employer asks if you're interested in the job they're offering, thank them for their message, state that the position sounds interesting, and write, "May I ask your starting salary?"
If the company calls to schedule a second interview, write a reply saying you're interested and ask if the emailer is the right person to talk to about salary
Step 7. Don't feel obligated to share your current salary
The recruiter or hiring manager may ask your current salary instead of answering the question directly. This is also a tactic because they expect your salary to be lower than what they are willing to pay, and then offer you the same figure instead of the higher amount they actually budgeted for.
- In some countries, it is actually unethical and even illegal for a company to ask for confidential candidate information such as salary. This is an invasion of privacy. For example, since 2018, the state of Massachusetts in the United States has determined that it is illegal for companies to ask for someone's old salary. New York City and Philadelphia also enact the same law.
- If a recruiter asks you about your salary, answer by stating the salary range you focus on in your job search and ask if the position falls within that range.
- If the company insists on knowing your salary, you may want to leave the opportunity. It can be read that they are not a good company because their way is unethical.
Method 2 of 2: Asking for a Higher Starting Salary
Step 1. Negotiate salary via email to make sure your message is clear
If you receive a job offer, negotiate salary issues before agreeing. Using email is considered appropriate if you and the recruiter have interacted with this medium, especially if the job offer itself is sent via email. With e-mail, you have time to craft a reply suggestion without feeling pressured or confused.
There are several drawbacks to negotiating salary via email. Some experts believe that negotiations are better face-to-face, and that emails can seem like demands rather than dialogue between a potential employee and employer
Step 2. Avoid mentioning "salary" in the subject of the email
Choose a general subject, but it is clear that it relates to work. Consider writing down your name and some sort of "job offer consideration."
Don't write a subject like "Salary negotiations". That's too outspoken. Avoid being demanding or presumptuous
Step 3. Use an appropriate greeting
Greet the recipient of the email the way you would start a written letter. The exact greeting depends on the context of the previous interaction with the recipient.
- If so far the communication is formal, greet with "Dear." followed by a title or title (Dr., Mr., Ms., etc.) and full name, then a comma and a space before starting the message.
- If you don't know the recipient's designation or title, just write down the name.
- For informal interactions, consider replacing "Dear." with "Hello" or "Hi", followed by the first name.
Step 4. Use a polite and respectful tone of language
When negotiating a salary, show that you are grateful for the job offer and are enthusiastic about getting started. Start the email with a thank you and state that you are interested in the opportunity.
Remember to always use complete sentences with correct grammar, then correct them again for misspellings. Show professionalism. Never use emojis or abbreviations as in text messages
Step 5. Try to be firm, but not aggressive when making counter-proposals
Some experts suggest that a good and neutral way to propose salary is something like, "I'd be more comfortable if we could agree on [x amount]."
- Don't use words like, "Are you sure you can't go any higher?" That's an opportunity for the company to say no. When you propose a specific number, they have to respond and it's harder to refuse right away.
- Avoid an argumentative or demanding tone. It won't work if you use absolute and aggressive statements like, "I don't want to accept less than [x number]".
Step 6. Support the counter-proposal with research
State the reasons clearly and politely that the salary you are seeking is reasonable. To strengthen your position, share the research you did about the average salary in the field and the salaries of people with your same background and expertise.
- For example, after mentioning qualifications that show that you are a valuable employee for the company, say that based on what you've learned, the average salary for the same position in your city is [amount x], and you'd like to discuss the possibility of increasing your offer of salary closer to the figure.
- Salary proposals should be based on skills and the average salary range for the position. Don't make suggestions based on the argument that you personally need a higher salary to pay the bills.
Step 7. Close the email respectfully
End the email with a polite closing greeting such as "Sincerely" followed by a comma, then your signature and/or name on the next line. This closing section should be consistent in all communications with the company so that there is no confusion. If you always use digital signatures, for example, continue that way.
Step 8. Be prepared to accept other proposals
Salary negotiation is a ping pong process and time consuming. You have to be patient, courteous and professional throughout the process. Keep in mind that you may not get the exact salary you're asking for, but it's also a good idea not to agree to a figure below the minimum you set.
