Is It Professional to Bargain on the Salary in a Job Offer?

After putting your best game on and acing the series of job exams and interviews, you finally got the job offer you’ve been waiting for—congratulations! However, when you look at the salary offer, you feel your excitement wane a bit and think, is this it?

If you’re uncomfortable with the offered compensation package, you don’t have to take it right away. As an applicant (and soon-to-be employee), you have the right to negotiate. Even though it’s the employer’s prerogative whether they will give in to your terms or not in the end, a negotiation usually brings good results as long as done carefully and properly.

So, is it professional to negotiate or bargain on the offered salary?

When done in good taste, then yes. After all, you won’t be the first person to ever do it. The hiring personnel and the company itself has probably had to go through such negotiations before. In fact, some would even encourage it.

However, if you do so with an air of arrogance, it might be a turn-off. Even if you are confident about what you can bring to the table, your character and behavior will say a lot about you.

Why is it important to negotiate your salary?

Salary negotiations are perfectly normal and they are an actual part of the hiring process, so don’t waste the opportunity to potentially get a higher offer. Furthermore, getting the salary you believe you deserve is a crucial part of advancing in your profession or career. 

A salary is more than a simple deposit to your bank account. Your compensation package shows how you are valued and appreciated for your skills and contribution to the company. If you get hired by a company that is open to salary negotiations, you’d know you’re in good hands!

How do you negotiate for higher compensation?

Once you’ve decided that you want to bargain for a better salary package, you need to prepare for the following:

As long as you have a great career background and the skills to show for it, you don’t have to fear salary negotiations. Good luck!

• Knowing your worth – Aside from considering your previous or current salary rate, you should also know what’s the realistic salary range for the position you’re applying for. Do your research. You don’t want to sound ridiculous during the negotiation.
• Building your case – You have to show that you are worth the salary you’re asking for, that you are a great asset for the company to invest in. It will help to showcase notable projects you’ve done for previous employers. 
• Facing the resistance – The hiring personnel or your soon-to-be manager might challenge you with questions like, why do you deserve this salary? Why do you think we’ll give you as much when we can hire someone else for a lower rate? You need to be ready to answer professionally.
• Going back and forth – When negotiating, you may need to go back and forth until both parties reach a good compromise. Do not say yes right away when offered a minimal increase. However, you should also know when it’s time to accept an offer as you don’t want to annoy and waste the time of your new employer.

Find these tips useful? We have more career advice, workplace tips, and job search tips on our blog. If you’re looking for jobs in the Philippines or abroad, sign up now and start applying!

Photo by Nik MacMillan on Unsplash