MONEY MATTERS
Tips and Tricks to Help Negotiate a Better Salary
By JACKSON KING
A
s they enter the workforce, people
realize that while money doesn’t
equate to happiness, a higher salary
allows for a better quality of life. Looking
to improve their career, those in the
workforce often desire the ability to
negotiate a higher salary, believing they
are worth more than what is offered.
Anyone can learn how to best negotiate
their salary with advice from the Texas
A&M University Career Center, courtesy of
Executive Director Samantha Wilson.
Research Before You Interview
For those who want to maximize their
salary, especially students entering the
workforce, an important tool people can
use is to research what people typically
make in a similar major or job, says Wilson.
“When you are interviewing with
a company, you should have done
your research on the organization to
understand their industry and their
business,” says Wilson.
Using resources, such as the Texas
A&M Career Center’s salary data, that
show what an average graduate makes
can help people understand the range
of what they are worth and what they
should expect to be offered going into the
workforce, says Wilson. Additional online
databases like payscale.com can also be
very helpful.
Learn to Articulate Your Value
The key to any negotiation is
understanding your value, including
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how your skills, abilities, and knowledge
contribute to you carrying out the duties
of that position beyond expectations,
says Wilson. Whether trying to improve
an initial offer or asking for a raise, it’s
important to articulate the reason behind
a higher salary.
“Anytime that you are seeking
advancement, there are several things that
become important in that process,” says
Wilson. “Number one is understanding the
why behind why you’re asking. Being able
to demonstrate and articulate your value
to show those measurable outcomes is the
most important thing. Have you gone above
and beyond expectations in that job? Are
you adding value to the organization?”
Building Marketable Skills and Experience
Building experience, both in terms of
internships as well as individualized skills,
is one of the best ways to help increase your
salary no matter what your age or career.
“Building marketable skills is an
important part of increasing your initial
value,” says Wilson. This can be dependent
on level of experience. Having an internship
with the same skills, the ability to speak a
foreign language, or experience with specific
technology are just some of the skills to
increase your market value, she says.
Justify Your Reasoning Behind A Raise
When entering a salary negotiation, it is
important to help illustrate the additional
benefit you provide. Successful salary
negotiations typically include discussions of
data, such as industry trends, value-added
skills, and relevant experience, that justify
the increased salary or additional benefits.
“If you have done something that
has increased the value of your division
or increased production, being able
to show that will help justify why you
deserve a raise,” says Wilson. “What is
the standard in your company or in your
industry for those kinds of increases? Can
you demonstrate metrics and outcomes
for what you have done? Do you have
measurable outcomes that demonstrate
your success in the position? Being able
to articulate your accomplishments is an
important part of the process.”
Discuss Career Options Early
For parents of college-ready children,
getting a head start on their child’s career
aspiration is a great resource for their
future. Discussing career-based decisions
with them early on will greatly benefit them
when they enter the workplace, says Wilson.
“I think as students enter college,
those discussions about personal
development, career exploration, and
career development should start early
on,” says Wilson. “At the Career Center,
we try to get students thinking about
that as early as their first year in college.
Building those [skills], including looking
for organizations and activities on campus
where you can build an understanding
of certain industries and then looking at
opportunities to start expanding your
professional network.” i