It took some time (and some heartache) but you did it! You received the phone call or email that you’ve been waiting for — Congratulations! But now onto the hard part — the question that is lingering in your mind, is this a fair offer? This section covers what is negotiable, importance of knowing the market value of your position, and shares tips on how to negotiate.
Before we dive in, keep in mind that some employers do offer fair offers from the get go, or are very honest about what they’re capable of offering and willing to negotiate.
If you are happy with what is offered, you may not feel the need to negotiate. In some cases, you may have little leverage due to the role, experience level, or the organization wanting to offer equal benefits and pay to everyone in the position (i.e. union). If you are uncertain, reach out to former co-workers and folks in the industry to best gauge your written offer.
Lastly, remember that all negotiations are a matter of relationship building, so treat the other person the same way that you’d like to be treated. (This applies to employers too!) Check out this section to learn about the art of negotiating a job offer and what to expect.
What is Negotiable?
Before you start negotiating keep in mind that some items in your overall job offer package are more negotiable than others. If you are mid-to-senior level in your career, you’ll have more wiggle room to negotiate due to your experience and skill set. For folks who are still early in their careers, negotiations tend to be more difficult.
- Offer Deadline
- Start Date
- Salary
- Signing Bonus
- Relocation Expenses
- Offer Deadline
- Start Date
- Salary
- Signing Bonus
- Relocation Expenses
- Offer Deadline
- Start Date
- Salary
- Signing Bonus
- Relocation Expenses
The Salary Question
Expect to be asked about your salary requirements for the position during the second stage of the interview. Some organizations ask that question during the first interview.
During this stage, you should offer a range of what you are looking for. Do your research beforehand. (Check out “Know the Market Value for Your Position.”)
You can follow up by asking “How much is budgeted for this position?” to get an idea of what the organization has in mind. When you negotiate your final offer, it is recommended that you offer an exact amount. Exact amounts increase your chance of receiving the salary that you are seeking.
If you are newer to the job market, chances are that you’ll have less leverage than a more seasoned professional to negotiate your salary and overall benefits package. However, there are ways in which you can prepare to ask for more. The first and most important rule is to negotiate your entire job offer, not just your salary.
TIP: Some states and cities ban employers from asking about your salary history. Check out this list to see your state or city bans employers from asking you about your salary history.
Know the Market Value for Your Position
One of your biggest leverages is knowledge of how much folks are generally paid for the role. To gain knowledge of how the industry is paying currently, think about people you know who’ve done similar work and reach out to them to ask for their advice.
If you do not know someone directly, consider reaching out to folks you know who may have other connections. It’s helpful to consider what type of relationships you have with your contacts. For instance, When was the last time that you spoke with them? Are they simply professional colleagues? Depending on the relationship, you may feel more comfortable asking people you’ve developed stronger relationships with. This applies to the comfort level of folks you reach out to as well.
Other aspects to consider include your professional experiences and whether or not the position has higher or lower expectations in relation to the pay.
TIP: There are various ways to learn more about how much folks are paid on average for various positions. Here are some places that you should check out.
Government jobs are paid through taxpayer dollars. Look up the average salary for the position on the State, County or City’s expense reports.
Depending on which Member of Congress you work for, you can earn 50% more or less than someone who holds the same position as you. Check out Legistorm to see what Hill members have paid their staff in the past. For paid Hill internships, check out Pay Our Interns.
For political campaigns, your best resource is your former coworkers and folks who work in the industry who can inform you on average compensation for a position. If you know the name of a staffer who held a position that you are interviewing for, you can check out FEC reports to see what they were paid.
For nonprofits, look at their IRS Form 990 to learn how much they spend on overhead.
What Other Benefits Matter to You?
The biggest mistake folks make is simply negotiating their salary. Take an overall look at the entire benefits package that you are receiving.
Worker Classification: Another key aspect to consider is your worker classification. Are you a part-time or full-time worker? Are you an independent contractor? Generally, full-time workers have more protections under labor laws, including access to unemployment insurance.
Facts to consider
Hover over the image to see other factors!
Some benefits to consider are: travel stipends, stocks, bonuses, healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision), supplementary insurance plans (life insurance, short-term and long-term disability leave, etc.), access to legal services, retirement plan (401K), vacation days, relocation expenses, win bonuses, etc.
Write Down a Few Items (2-4) That You Want to Negotiate
You’re more likely to get the offer that you want if you have concrete asks with a brief reason why. You should also list in order of importance the top items that you want to negotiate.
After you have determined what your top priorities are, follow-up with your main point of contact and let them know what you are hoping to negotiate. Always let the other person know that you’re willing to discuss what you’d like to negotiate and why. Remember, you are negotiating with a real person, so treat the other person the same way that you like to be treated.
- Your loved ones and family members: Do you have to relocate?
- Career growth: Is this a lateral or upward move?
- Unionization: Does your employer support its employees to unionize?
- Overall team culture and work: Do you feel supported and valued?
- New skill sets: Will you be learning new skills to help you in your future job search?
What are your priorities?
Hover over the image to see other factors!
- “This is somewhat less than I expected. From my research, I have seen a range of $___ to $___ for someone with my skills and background for this role.”
- “Based on my experience and skill set, would you consider the range of $___ ?”
- “I fully understand the budget issues, and I want to be as flexible as possible. I’m very excited about the possibility of joining [organization], and would like to explore whether $___ is possible given my experience.”
- “What do you have budgeted for this position?”
- “Is there any flexibility on this offer?”
- “Could we establish a 90-day evaluation period? If I reach our goals, can we re-visit my salary?”
What Happens Next?
You’ve reached out to your main point of contact to let them know what aspects of your job offer that you want to negotiate. If you are working for a campaign, items that you may want to consider negotiating may include: travel stipend, gas mileage reimbursement, vacation days, salary, bonuses, etc.
- Accepted the requests; or
- Want to offer you less than what you requested; or
- Can only meet a few but not all of your asks; or
- Cannot meet any of your requests; or
- Reneges their offer.
- This rarely occurs. If this does happen to you, keep in mind that it’s a very poor reflection of the employer.
- Accepted the requests; or
- Want to offer you less than what you requested; or
- Can only meet a few but not all of your asks; or
- Cannot meet any of your requests; or
- Reneges their offer.
- This rarely occurs. If this does happen to you, keep in mind that it’s a very poor reflection of the employer.
If the offer is not what you’re looking for, have an honest conversation with your main point of contact. Remember, you are negotiating with another person. From there, decide if you want to accept or decline the offer.
All photos used in the Post-Campaign Guide are accredited to People of Color in Tech.