How Can a Fresh Graduate Negotiate Salary

How Can a Fresh Graduate Negotiate Salary

It is pertinent to note that, transitioning into a negotiation master is a journey you will be taking for life. However, as a fresh graduate, this is the beginning for you as you are eager to land your first real job and hoping to get a desirous compensation.

Understand that, while you may want your salary to be reasonable, there are times you will have to fight for what you feel you are owed.

It must be noted that there is a huge difference between giving off an entitled vibe and making sure you get paid a fair salary when you get your first job. Nonetheless, how do you ensure that you get the salary you desire?

Needless to say, salary negotiation can be hard for anyone no matter their age. However, fresh graduates tend to be more anxious about it than the older generation. When fresh graduates go through years of underpaid or unpaid internships, any salary offer may be seen as much.

However, a well-tackled salary negotiation will lead to great satisfaction on both sides. Most times, salary negotiation is partially successful. However, you should not be anxious about it at all.

From the survey carried out by NerdWallet and LookSharp, fresh graduates tend to be a bit shy when they are negotiating their first paycheck.

The survey revealed that roughly eighty-four percent of recruiters are willing to increase their initial salary offer by ten percent. It is expected of fresh graduates to negotiate and to do it successfully.

However, the survey revealed that just thirty-eight percent of fresh graduates truly negotiate their offers. Furthermore, just ten percent of recruiters withdrew their offer when a potential employee tried negotiating.

How To Negotiate Your Salary

Some of the tips we can provide fresh graduates on how to negotiate their salaries include:

1. Ensure you do your homework

Before you make the move to attend any job interview, you are to carry out your homework. It is obvious to employers when a fresh graduate shows up and has vaguely googled some things about the company.

You are to have an idea of the background of the company just for context, have an idea about their clients, huge projects they are currently working on, and the name of the CEO.

Ensure that you check the news if the company is a huge one just in case they have been in the news be it for a good or bad reason. Asides from all these, you need to carry out your homework about the salaries they pay.

You should search for salary surveys that will give you an idea of what you can earn in your job role and with your qualifications. You can ask around and meet with people in the industry to vet their advice.

Before you make the move to attend the job interview, you are to know the overall range of salary for the job role, the biggest problems of the potential employer, and how you can them in resolving these issues.

The aforementioned points are what any employer will be interested in when they are deciding on the candidate for the job. They do not want to hire just anybody but they need a person that understands the objectives of the business.

2. Think further than your wage

It must be noted that your negotiation does not necessarily need to be about money especially when it is your first job as a fresh graduate. As a fresh graduate, you do have less leverage than a person who has years of experience.

However, you can make up for a lower salary by negotiating some perks. These perks can range from flexible hours to engaging in diverse development programs. If the job role entails traveling, you can negotiate for a travel budget.

Or, you can negotiate for having to make lots of calls from your phone. Though, you can check if they can provide you with a phone that they will pay for.

3. Show competence

If you are a sweaty and jittery interviewee, it is less likely that you will land the job when there is a more confident and well-spoken interviewee. The reason for this is that the confident individual comes off as a sturdy investment.

You must never underestimate the strength of how you speak, dress, and conduct yourself in the interview. Even if the company is one that 6ou are allowed to wear jeans and a t-shirt, do not go there with a scruffy look in faded denim.

Also, you can speak slowly, wear a smile and keep adequate eye contact.

Read Also: How can a fresh graduate get a Job

 

4. Be comfortable in talking about salary

In either your second or third interview, for companies who go through this route, you will most likely be asked about the salary you have in mind. It is important that you ha e a reasonable figure in mind.

Do not be s are of asking them for what they are willing to offer. Take it as a discussion and not a battle where you will need to fight. The reason for this is that recruiter will  be paying a person who handles the job well

If your intended figure is a little bit above what they have to offer, you should acknowledge this and explain why you are thinking you deserve it.

While you may likely not get what you want, it will place you on the table as a confident go-getter that is willing to work for what the company wants.

5. Ensure you go the extra mile and always have a plan

Now that you are set to have the dialogue to negotiate the salary, you may be left wondering why they ha e to pay you such an amount when you have little to no experience.

For those prepared for this, you can get your employer interested by coming up with a plan for all you will love to achieve within your first thirty, sixty, and even ninety days on the Job.

Do not forget that you have a plan in mind to prove yourself before you can start negotiations. When you show the employer that you have a plan to boost your professional development, you are reflecting dedication to the job that most candidates will not do.

6. Have a plan in case the answer is no

Even though the actual negotiation begins from here, it may also be where the conversations finish. If the employer says he or she cannot do that or does not have the budget, you should have an idea of how your response will be.

7. Try to be enthusiastic

Here, you must understand that though the offer is lower than your expectations s, do not depict disappointment. It is just an offer. Stay positive and showcase excitement before you start to negotiate.

8. Avoid rushing it

Except this is your dream job, do not feel any need to accept it immediately. If you are feeling pressured, ask that you review their offer in writing. This is done to ensure that you are making the ideal decision.

However, do not wait for long. They may want to fill the job role as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

On a general note, the whole process of negotiating your salary is not risky as it is simply not enough to ask for an increase. You need to go about it in the right manner.

Also, you can postpone any form of negotiation till you are given the job. Here, you will let the prospective recruiter decide if you are the ideal candidate.

Since people are quite reluctant to change their previous decision, you can use this move to your advantage.

Nevertheless, if you decide to take on the offer, you must communicate enthusiasm that reflects positivity.

 

 

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