Three Steps to Negotiating a Salary

September 28, 2016

Although many employers expect candidates to negotiate their benefits package, prospective employees often do not take a proactive approach to naming their salary expectations. This process can seem especially challenging and intimidating to young people early in their careers, but a little negotiation can make a big difference. The ideal time to begin negotiating benefits is between receiving the initial job offer and formally accepting it, given that you have already impressed the employer and shown that you possess the qualifications that they are seeking. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the negotiation stage upon receiving a job offer:

Review the Offer and Do Your Research

Consider the benefits package holistically. Perhaps the base salary is lower than what you were anticipating, but there may be other perks that compensate for it. Does the company offer bonuses or commissions? Recognizing that there is more to a compensation package than salary can help you determine if you are getting a fair offer. Do your research to see how your offer compares to similar ones with Payscale’s Job Offer survey.

Identify Your Top Priorities

What factors of a compensation package are most important to you? Do you place more stock in salary, healthcare coverage, and retirement plans, or do you desire a good work-life balance with things like flextime and telecommuting? Figure out what you want, and how much you want of it, and ask for it. Some experts recommend asking for slightly more than you think you need in order to leave room for compromise.

Re-Sell Yourself

Employers are indifferent to whether the salary they offered will cover your monthly mortgage or education loan payments. If you are going to ask for better benefits, you need to show the employer that you are worth it. Use your skills and experience as leverage. How have you created value in previous jobs and internships? Do you have any unique skills that would be beneficial to the position? Be confident in your abilities and accomplishments while simultaneously being respectful, professional, and enthusiastic.

Negotiating a salary is an often-disregarded step of accepting a job offer. However, before jumping in, remember to do your research and learn a few salary negotiation tactics. Do not be apprehensive of sounding greedy – some employers view candidates with exceptional negotiation skills as high performers on the job. Best of luck negotiating!

7 Money Mistakes for Young Professionals to Avoid

Prepare for a Meeting

When you are ready to ask for a raise, request a meeting with your boss and let them know you’d like to discuss your salary.

1. Plan your request at the right time

When you want to ask for a raise, pay attention to the timing of the meeting with your boss. An appropriate time for a meeting would be:

After you successfully completed a big project that brought value to your company
During a performance review meeting when you have exceeded expectations. Performance review meetings are a typical time when companies award raises. Being prepared to ask for a raise during this time could allow you to negotiate for more than the planned raise.

Times to avoid a meeting:

During a busy season of work when your boss will not be able to focus on your request
When you are behind on your work. If you are not able to perform your current workload, it will be hard to justify a raise to your boss.

2. Prepare talking points

Go into the meeting prepared to advocate for yourself. Although you don’t have to memorize a speech, it’s good to be prepared with the following information:

Specific examples of accomplishments you have achieved at work recently. This could be anything from securing a big client to implementing an idea that brings in extra revenue for your company.
How you have exceeded expectations for your position.
Additional responsibilities you have undertaken. If you have taken on more responsibilities by taking initiative, be sure to highlight those.
The value you will continue to bring to the company in the future and examples of how this will be accomplished.

3. Do your research

It’s important to know that the salary you are requesting is realistic for your position and your location. A great resource is Glassdoor. You can compare salaries for your sector or receive a personalized salary estimate based on your market and position.

4. Practice, practice, practice

Asking for a raise can be a nerve-wracking conversation. By preparing and practicing before your meeting, you can walk in confidently and armed with data to back up your request. In addition to practicing your talking points, you will want to be ready for any questions or negotiations that may arise. While it’s good to have a specific salary in mind, you should also be open to other numbers or benefits that your boss may offer. For example, the company may offer you work from home or extra vacation time in place of a salary increase.

In the Meeting

You’ve requested a timely meeting, prepared extensively, and now it’s go-time. Once you’re in the meeting here’s what you should focus on:

1. Your Demeanor

Pay attention to your tone and body language when speaking. You want to appear confident in yourself and your abilities. Show a positive attitude about the value you bring to the company, but do not appear arrogant. If you get questioned about why you deserve a raise, keep your cool and answer with the talking points you prepared.

2. Communicate Your Accomplishments

Instead of just rattling off a laundry list of accomplishments, focus on a few incredible examples and, if possible, bring proof of your work. Here are a few ideas of what you can present in the meeting:

Two-three examples of big projects you accomplished
Work you did that was beyond the scope of your job
Specific examples of when you took the lead and were successful
Examples of work brought that brought monetary value to the company
Ideas for your future at the company. Companies value loyal workers so be sure to point out how you have demonstrated loyalty and your desire to remain with the company.

3. Explain Why You’ve Earned It

Be sure to avoid talking about why you need the extra money and instead focus on how you have earned a raise. For example, if you are in sales, instead of saying you need the money because of increased living costs, say you have earned this raise because you are the most successful sales associate, have brought in $100,000 in revenue, and receive great reviews.

4. Bring a Specific Number

It’s best to have a specific number you are requesting, according to a study by Columbia Business School, instead of a range. For example, you want to request $55,000 as opposed to saying $52,000 to $57,000. Provide the reasoning for how you arrived at that number and, if applicable, give examples of how it is in line for the type of work you do.

Bottom Line

If you have been in your role for over a year and are killing it at your job, you should seriously consider asking for a raise. But before you do so, preparation is absolutely critical. Follow the steps above and you’ll be in a great place to have this discussion with your boss. Good luck!

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2020-02-11

10 Cities With Best Job Markets

Once you graduate and start looking for a job, you may realize that your hometown isn’t the best place for your career. You may think about relocating to a new state to get the right job, but it’s a huge decision.

By Kat Tretina

Kat Tretina is a freelance writer based in Orlando, Florida. Her work has been featured in publications like The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, and more. She is focused on helping people pay down their debt and boost their income.

Where you live can have a big impact on your income and quality of life. Depending on your field, some cities can be better for your career than others.

To help you narrow down your search, we looked at Indeed’s Best Cities survey to identify the top 10 cities for job seekers.

10 Cities with Booming Job Markets

In its survey, Indeed looked for cities with low rates of unemployment, a prevalence of highly-rated companies, high average salaries, and low competition for jobs. With that research in mind, these are the 10 cities it identified with the best job markets:

10. Salt Lake City, UT

Utah’s economy is one of the fastest-growing in the country, and that’s largely due to Salt Lake City’s rapid development. While the U.S. economy grew as a whole by about 3%, Utah’s economy grew by over 4%.

Salt Lake City has become a hub of technology, with many tech and bioengineering companies relocating their operations to the area. Compared to other areas like San Francisco, Salt Lake City’s real estate market is relatively inexpensive, making it attractive to both companies and workers.

The unemployment rate is 3.1%. On average, workers in Salt Lake City earn $66,000 per year, which is significantly higher than the national mean wage for all occupations.

Related >> Best Cities for Young Professionals

9. Washington, D.C.

Known for its politicians and lawmakers, the Washington D.C. area is also the strongest economy in the entire United States. It’s home to over 400 international associations and 1,000 international companies, including 15 Fortune 500 companies, making it a prime spot for job seekers.

Total non-farm employment for the area grew by 52,300 jobs — or 1.6% — over the course of a year. That number outpaces the national employment growth rate.

The average salary in Washington D.C. is $75,000 per year — $24,000 more than the national mean wage.

8. Oklahoma City, OK

The economy in Oklahoma City is rapidly changing. In the past, industries like mining and manufacturing were the leading employers in the area. Now, transportation, construction, and leisure and hospitality have taken over and dominate the job market.

The unemployment rate is lower than the national average, and overall job growth is at 2.5% with 15,900 jobs added.

In Oklahoma City, the average salary is $58,000. While that’s lower than the salaries of some cities on this list, Oklahoma City has a much lower cost of living, so your income will go further.

7. Milwaukee, WI

Like Oklahoma City, Milwaukee’s economy has seen significant changes in recent years. Industries like mining and manufacturing declined, while leisure and hospitality is a booming field.

In the area, job growth increased by 1.6%, and unemployment reached 3.2%, which is slightly below the national average. According to PayScale, the average salary is $63,000. However, Milwaukee has a lower cost of living than other cities, so your income is even more valuable.

6. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has lower-than-average unemployment and is seeing significant growth in a number of industries. The biggest industries include trade, transportation, and utilities, education and health services, and professional and business services.

The average salary in Minneapolis is $69,000, far higher than the national mean wage for all occupations.

5. Nashville, TN

The city known for its culture and music is also one of the fastest-growing economies in the country. It has more than 1.9 million residents and over 40,000 businesses in it. The biggest job opportunities are for workers in the service industry, including restaurants, hotels, and skilled construction workers.

The unemployment rate in the city is just 2.7%, which is far lower than the national average. The biggest employers are the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nissa North America, and HCA Healthcare, Inc. However, Amazon recently announced that it would build a center in Nashville, bringing 5,000 jobs to the area. This development would dramatically change the city’s employment landscape.

The average salary in Nashville is $61,000, but the city has a lower-than-average cost of living, making your salary worth even more.

4. Birmingham, AL

Birmingham boasts an extremely low unemployment rate at just 2.2%. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of total non-farm jobs grew by 1.9% in 2019.

Healthcare and banking are two of the biggest industries in the city, with major employers like the University of Alabama at Birmingham, BellSouth, and the Baptist Health System hiring workers.

The average salary for Birmingham workers is $59,000. While that’s relatively low for a city on this list, Birmingham’s cost of living is much lower than other cities, making the salary more valuable.

3. Boston, MA

Workers in historic Boston can command high salaries. The average salary for workers is $76,000.

The city also has unprecedented job growth. According to a GlassDoor report, Boston’s job listings grew by 8.4%, the highest in the country. The biggest employers are primarily in three industries: health care and social assistance, finance and insurance, and educational services. The largest employers are Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Boston University.

Boston also has an extremely low unemployment rate. At just 2.1%, it’s significantly lower than the national average.

2. San Francisco, CA

San Francisco is a hotly-desired area for job seekers. With an incredibly low unemployment rate — it’s just 1.8% — and big-name employers calling the area home, it’s easy to see the appeal.

The job growth rate is 2.4%, outpacing the national average. The biggest employers in the area are Advent Software, California Pacific Medical Center, and Charles Schwab.

The average salary in San Francisco is a whopping $95,000. However, the high income is tempered by the fact that San Francisco has a higher-than-average cost of living, cutting into how far your salary can go.

1. San Jose, CA

At $99,000, San Jose has the highest average income of any city on this list. Like San Francisco, its cost of living is higher than normal, but that salary is still impressive.

San Jose’s unemployment rate is just 2.2%, and non-farm jobs have grown by 2.9%. The area is home to hundreds of technology and research firms, including big names like Apple, Lockheed Martin, and the Stanford School of Medicine.

Maximizing Your Income

Deciding to relocate can have a big impact on your income and, consequently, your student loan repayment. If you do move to another state for a great job and secure a pay increase, you’re a prime candidate for student loan refinancing and you can get a low interest rate on your loan. You can get a no-obligation quote from ELFI without affecting your credit score.*

*Subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply.

young professional smiling after receiving a raise

2020-01-22

How to Use a Pay Raise Responsibly

By Tracey Suhr Getting called into the boss’ office for the first time can feel a little reminiscent of getting called into the principal’s office. You immediately start sweating and wondering what you did wrong. But just like the principal's office, it's not always bad news. In fact, sometimes it's the best news of all: you just got a raise. Congrats! Take yourself out for a celebratory dinner and maybe even splurge on brunch this weekend. But come Monday morning, it's time to get down to business and determine how to use your raise. You could just enjoy the extra cash coming into your checking account, yes. But, that little financial angel on your shoulder might also nag you about being smarter with that money. Unfortunately, most high school and college classes don’t teach us how to be responsible with our money. We learn all sorts of questionably-practical information like the Pythagorean Theorem but not how to file taxes or how to use a raise responsibly. To cover that gap in information, we’re here with three actually practical suggestions to use that raise in a way both your principal and your boss would be proud of.

3 Practical Tips to Use a Raise Responsibly

1. Boost Your Retirement Savings

If your employer has a 401(k) plan, you should already be allocating 3–5% of each paycheck toward a retirement account, especially if your employer offers a 401(k) match. This means they’ll contribute as much to your savings as you do, up to a certain amount. Many employers match contributions up to 6% of your salary, and this is, literally, free money. If you contribute 3% of your $50,000 salary, that's $1,500 a year from you and $1,500 a year from your employer for retirement savings. When you get a raise, you should adjust your paycheck to dedicate a portion or the full amount of that raise to your 401(k) contributions. This is an easy way to save more without much thought or effort needed. If you do this right away, you don’t get used to the extra money, and you just continue living and paying bills as you did before the raise. If you’re young, this type of contribution can be especially rewarding because of a concept called compounding interest. This means the interest on your investment earns interest, not just the principal (or original) balance. If you invest $1,500 with a 10% interest rate, your balance would be $3,890 in 10 years. With a simple interest rate that only builds on the initial investment amount, your 10-year balance would be only $3,000.

2. Pay Off Debts

Another savvy way to use your raise is to allocate a portion or the full amount to your debts. This can be credit card debt, student loan debt, or even repaying a personal loan from mom and dad. But debt isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Certain debts like student loans carry low interest rates so when you consider how to use your raise, consider that other accounts or investments with higher interest rates might make or save you more in the long run. For example, if your student loan has an interest rate of just 8%, it makes more sense to pay off a credit card with a 24.5% interest rate or invest in a stock with a 10% return rate. >> Related: Should I Save or Pay Down Student Loan Debt?

3. Allocate the Rest to An Emergency Fund

We alluded to this before, but you don’t have to put all your extra cash in one place. If you get a 5% raise, you can direct 4% toward your student loans and put even 1% in an emergency fund. You should build the emergency fund until you have at least six months of your salary in the account to help you cover bills and general living expenses in case you find yourself suddenly out of work. If six months seems unattainable, aim for at least one or two months to give you four to eight weeks to find work. This emergency fund can also come in handy if unexpected medical bills or car repairs pop up. If you haven't been lucky enough to get a raise from your employer, or if you’re looking to boost your savings even more, you can give yourself a raise by refinancing student loans. If you meet the eligibility requirements, student loan refinancing through companies like ELFI can get you a lower interest rate*, which means you could pay less each month and, subsequently, less over the life of the loan. Use the difference between your previous and current monthly payments as a raise. Then allocate that money to your retirement funds and toward paying off debts. ELFI customers reported saving an average of $272 every month and should see an average of $13,940 in total savings after refinancing student loans with Education Loan Finance.¹ That’s a 7.4% raise, which is far above the predicted average 2020 cost-of-living raise of 1.6%. You can refinance both private and federal student loans. Deciding how to use a raise responsibility is a big decision. Hopefully, with these tips, you can find ways to use those funds in a way that will give you even more play money in the future. The average raise is 4.6%, and with a little knowledge and discipline, you can turn 4.6% into thousands of dollars if you make the right choices on how to use a raise responsibly.