Job Interviews: Secrets To Successful Salary Negotiation

By Dorcas Karuana,
“How much do you expect to earn?”  is one of the toughest job interview question that many whether experienced or inexperience  candidates find a challenge to answer. Either because you do not know your value or you believe “You take what you can get.” which is not a bad song, but there’s another one that rings just as true, “If you don’t ask, how do you know they would’ve said no?”
The truth is that in many cases, an employer can add the quoted salary so long as the candidate can deliver value to the company. I recently made a stopover at the Rift Valley View Point to buy some jewelry and found the same necklaces being sold at different prices. The person selling at a higher price had his shop well organized, clean and tidy and in an enclosed place; very friendly. Contrary, the lower price jewels were just lying on some tables. I asked myself, why are the same jewels being sold differently in the same location?
Let’s go back to our topic. How many of us do not know our value? Just ask yourself, are you worth what you earn? Can you justify why you want to a higher salary?
Prior to a job interview, you need to prepare in order to build your confidence and success. One of the things you should prepare is salary.  Research on your value proposition as well as the range that the position is likely to pay in that particular company as well as in other companies of the same level.
Value proposition is a series of statements defining your worth. It is what makes you the ideal candidate for the job by differentiating you from the crowd. The value you bring to the table – the skills, strengths, core competencies, marketable assets and accomplishments you can declare as your own. Your value proposition describes your uniqueness – your unique gifts. Consider this, if you can make profits of 10 Million for the company, why will the employer not pay you Sh 500,000
But how do you justify your pay? Think about some of the statements you can make about yourself that reflect the skills, strengths and competencies you possess. What makes you uniquely you? What is your value, your worth? Begin to jot down some ideas. You might want to ask someone who knows you well what values they see in you. You may be surprised by what they say. Then begin to formulate the best way of stating this.
During the job interview, the salary question should come from the employer. You want to refrain from “shooting yourself in the foot” by asking for too low a figure, or from ending the negotiation by asking for too high a figure; or get a better salary offer than you originally planned.
Successful salary negotiation should be a win- win situation which can be approached in various ways.
1.Sometimes the interviewer will mention salary early in the interview as if it were predetermined and nonnegotiable. He may say something like: “We have projected a salary of for this job,” or “The final figure we have is     .”
If a figure is given, it is important not to simply nod in understanding or otherwise let the remark go by. You can acknowledge that the figure fits perfectly into my range.” This rather open-ended reply can accomplish several things: keep the discussion from getting stuck; keep you from being tied solely to the amount the interviewer proposes; and keep you from having to accept his offer.
Then you can proceed, using facts and figures to show him that you are the right person for the job, listing achievements that match his needs. When you receive the job offer, you are in a position to continue with the slary negation.
2. Some interviewers will try to open negotiations by coming right out and asking how much money you want to make. It is important not to take the bait and simply state a figure or a range. To keep the advantage, tactfully turn the question back on to your interviewer:
Q: How much do you want to earn?
A: Oh, thank you for raising this issue. Before answering you, I’d like to ask a question. Q: Please do.
A: Could you tell me, then, what sort of salary range you have in mind for this job, based on those curves? This will make things easier and save us time.
3. If you have succeeded in making the interviewer mention the first figure, you can use one very effective method is to use “The Echo.” Just as it sounds like: simply repeat the figure stated by the interviewer and then remain silent. Whatever amount is stated, do not show a reaction. Your face should remain calm and unchanged.
The full technique looks like this:
a.Your interviewer has spoken first and mentioned a salary of                   . Repeat this figure exactly with only the slightest suggestion of a surprise or question.

b. Look the interviewer in the eyes, or if this embar¬rasses you, look at his eyebrows or the right or left side of his face.

c. Do not be overt. Do not show satisfaction or deception, only the faintest hint of a surprise.

d.The very fact that you repeat the amount and then remain silent, showing no other reaction, may cause the interviewer to be perplexed. As a result, he may increase his offer.
The trick her is that when a figure is mentioned, a reaction is expected, and your impulse will be to give one – either positive or negative. If you have rehearsed well, you can hold your emotions in check, and maintain a calm, cool silence after you have simply repeated the figure. It may feel awkward, but that’s exactly why it’s effective. Your interviewer will want to break the awkward silence-usually by suggesting a higher figure!
4. However, if the interviewer does not disclose the range and you also do not know the range, then calculate your expected salary to be between 130% – 150% of what you previously earned.
Hope this helps you in your salary negotiation.
What challenges have you faced in salary negotiation?
Dorcas is a Human Resource Consultant at Corporate Staffing Services. Email: dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke Website www.corporatestaffing.co.ke