We’ve all heard about the Great Resignation by now. More than ever, workers have decided to seek out new opportunities and take advantage of a strong labor market. But how can you make sure you negotiate the best deal when you get that new job offer?
Improving these skills will help you maximize your career development. Economic circumstances will likely give you additional leverage in 2022. Still, it’s up to you to ask for the compensation you deserve.
How can you make the most of this opportunity? It starts by understanding where you can boost your compensation and having a plan to optimize the situation. With that in mind, here are five things to negotiate in your next job offer:
Salary
Of course, this represents the key topic of discussion when a job offer comes. However, very few job seekers feel confident asking for a higher starting salary.
Whether you can score a higher opening pay rate will depend on the circumstances. The key is to be informed. Research competitive salaries for the position and have that in mind when you receive the job offer. At that point, you’ll have the data you need to make a good decision about requesting a higher amount.
Schedule
Your compensation only represents the start of the factors you should keep in mind. When and where you work are as important as how much you make. As such, keep your schedule in mind as you go into negotiations.
Ask your potential employer about:
- Remote Work: Find out if there are remote options for your position. This could let you skip the commute and work from home at least some of the time.
- PTO: Talk about vacation days and holidays. If you aren’t getting the money you think you need, paid time off can help balance the scales.
- Flex Schedules: Depending on the responsibilities in your job, you might have some influence into your hours. Maximizing flexibility might be as important as salary size if you have family responsibilities or other personal matters to consider.
Benefits
It’s often difficult to negotiate benefits. Companies subscribe to group plans for many of these offerings and specific policies are determined by the providers, not by your employer. At the same time, many of the benefits have strict regulatory or legal rules that limit a company’s flexibility.
That said, you might be able to find some areas of accommodation. The discussions might get complicated but if you understand the benefit landscape, you can occasionally find areas where concessions are possible.
At the very least, you should have benefits in mind during the negotiation process. Even if you can’t make changes related to individual benefits, the details in this part of your compensation package will inform what you want to achieve elsewhere. For instance, a high employee contribution to the health care plan might give you leverage to ask for a higher salary to offset the expense.
Here are some of the key benefits that companies provide that you should ask about during your negotiations:
- Health Insurance
- Dental
- Vision
- Life Insurance
- Retirement Benefits
When Your Review Comes Up
Not happy with your initial salary? If they won’t budge on the number for a newbie, one strategy involves showing what you can do and then asking for more money. However, you don’t want to wait a year to make your case.
Ask them for an earlier review, maybe six months into your tenure. That way, you can reopen salary and other negotiations, only this time with several months of stellar work behind you. If you’ve excelled at the position, you’ll have more leverage to request a raise than you had when you were just an anonymous job seeker.
Reimbursements
The little things add up. Doing your job often involves taking on additional expenses, whether that means buying supplies or paying for continuing education to expand your skills.
Often, a company will reimburse you for these items. However, it’s up to you to clarify the rules during the job offer process. You might be able to negotiate additional support. Here are a few types of reimbursement to keep in mind:
- Expenses
- Relocation
- Education
- Childcare
Ready to find the perfect job for you? Working with a top recruiter, like PrideStaff, will let you find a position that will provide the challenge – and the compensation – that you need.
Contact PrideStaff today to find out more.
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