Your Comprehensive Guide to Negotiating Salary

Your Comprehensive Guide to Negotiating Salary No matter what your job, no matter what your industry, you have something in common with everyone else: you want to make more money as you move through your career. (Living the dream!) Similarly, the way to get there is pretty universal as well: learning how to negotiate your workplace value into cash money. Whether you’re already in a job and you’re seeking a raise, or you’ve just gotten a job offer and want to maximize your starting salary, there are tools to keep in your belt for negotiating your salary. 1. Negotiating Salary When You’ve Just Gotten a Job Offer  a.   When Should You Start Negotiating?  b.   What Tools Should You Have Ready to Go?  c.   How Should You Approach the Negotiation?  d.   When Do You Settle? Or, When Do You Walk Away?  e.   What Mistakes Are Lurking?  2. Negotiating Salary If  You’re Looking for a Raise/Promotion  a.  When Should You Start Negotiating?  b.  What Tools Should You Have Rea dy to Go?  c.  How Should You Approach It?  d.  When Do You Settle? Or, When Do You Walk Away?  How to Negotiate If You’ve Just Gotten a Job OfferCongratulations! Score! You’ve outwitted, outlasted, and outplayed your competitors to get to the end. (Oh wait, that’s Survivor.) Now after you’ve had a glass of champagne (or the fizzy celebratory beverage of your choice), don’t get too complacent- you’ve still got one more stage: the salary negotiation.  Business.com has a great overview of the process:When Should You Start Negotiating?You should wait until you have your job offer in hand. Mention money too early, and you run the risk of giving information that could limit your salary ceiling (like what you were earning previously, or what you’d be willing to accept now). It could also be a turn-off for the hiring company†¦you don’t want to seem too mercenary before you even have the job. During the interview phase s, focus on your attributes and experience, and on getting hired.Once you’ve received an offer, then it’s time to start negotiating your salary.What Tools Should You Have Ready to Go?  As you get ready for battle, here are three things to have at the top of your mind.1. A target salary rangeWhile you shouldn’t actually mention salary while you’re interviewing, you should definitely start thinking about the best-case scenario (job offer and salary negotiation stage) ahead of time. Part of that is doing your homework on what you’re worth, professionally.There are tons of resources online that can help you drill down into your specific industry and job, and find at least a range that feels comfortable based on your experience level. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has baseline government data on salaries and career outlooks for various industries. Sites like Payscale.com, Salary.com, and GlassDoor.com can help you zoom in on your professional wo rth as well, aggregating data about real people’s salaries in various industries. You want your expectations to be realistic, so gather as much info as you can about the salaries attached to your new role (or similar jobs in the industry), for people at your experience level.2. Your selling points (which are now justification points)In addition to having a dollar range in mind, you should keep your resume and interview talking points handy as well. It may seem like those are old news after you aced your interview, but you should have a ready list of all of your accomplishments and experience to bolster any requests for a higher salary.3. Intangibles And don’t forget that while we call this â€Å"salary† negotiation, it’s about your entire compensation package at your new job. That includes yes, your baseline salary, but also vacation time, flexible work arrangements, paid leave, and other benefits. These may take a backseat to the official dollar amount, but they’re great to have as an additional bargaining chip- especially if the company proves unwilling or unable to meet your goal salary. You can try to get additional time off, or work-from-home arrangements to compensate for a slightly lower salary.4. Your dealbreaker amount Unfortunately, some negotiations won’t work out. As part of your salary range, you should also keep the lower limit in mind- the number where, if the salary falls below it and can’t budge upward, you can’t move forward with this new job.How Should You Approach the Negotiation?Some companies will include a salary offer with the official job offer. In this case, you would use that number as a starting point, or an â€Å"anchor.† If you get an offer without a dollar amount attached, you get to throw out a number as the anchor. Again (and I can’t emphasize this enough), be realistic. If you’re going for a mid-level management position and you walk in asking for a g iant signing bonus and a Ferrari, you might be laughed right out of your job offer.According to recruiter Nick Corcodilos, a goal to keep in mind for switching jobs is about a 20% increase in salary. That may or may not be realistic depending on your industry or your new company’s economic situation, but think of it as an ideal-world guideline.Either way, once the initial dollar amounts is out there, don’t accept the first offer from your new company. You won’t lose your job offer just for negotiating- it’s a commonplace part of the hiring process these days. Send a counteroffer, and go from there.To see how salary negotiations can play out, career author Ramit Sethi has a no-holds-barred approach in this video negotiation re-enactment:When Do You Settle? Or, When Do You Walk Away?As Kenny Rogers once told us, part of the game is knowing when to fold ‘em. Negotiation for a new job is a form of gambling- there’s no guarantee the company will m eet your salary request. If their initial and subsequent offers fall below what you are able to accept, then it’s okay to turn down the job offer and walk away. If you really need or want this job, and the salary offer falls substantially short, try to use that â€Å"intangibles† chip and try to bolster things like vacation time or job title as a way to offset the salary before you accept the offer.  Also, don’t let the process drag out indefinitely. The company is clearly interested in filling this role as soon as possible, and you want things to move along as well. Expect the process to advance over a short period of time†¦possibly a few days. Once you know things aren’t going to work, it’s better to put that out there and get the inevitable end out of the way.What Mistakes Are Lurking?Here are some of the top mistakes people make in negotiating a new job salary:Accepting the first offer. Just don’t do it! You don’t know how high you could have gone if you don’t even try.Aiming too high. Be realistic in your salary expectations.Being too aggressive. A respectful tone is key to the process- after all, these will likely be your colleagues soon. Confidence and information are great tools- swagger is not.Accepting without knowing salary. If, in your excitement, you accept the job offer without knowing what your salary is (and having a chance to respond or negotiate), you put yourself at a major disadvantage.How to Negotiate If You’re Looking for a Raise/PromotionIf you’re already comfortable in your job and are seeking a merit-based raise, the process is a little different. No one is going to come to you and say, â€Å"You know what? You’ve been awesome this year. Take this extra cash.† The initiative is all on you. It’s easy for both employers and employees to get complacent. Once they have you in place, what’s their incentive to keep throwing money at you? Many companies have an automatic yearly raise in place, often at the cost-of-living level. But even if you can already expect a bump in your salary this year, there’s no reason you can’t try to negotiate and maximize that. And if your company doesn’t have an automatic raise mechanism in place, all the more reason to make a case that you deserve more.RELATED:  How to Negotiate Your Salary in an InterviewWhen Should You Start Negotiating?Your annual review is a pretty common time to kick off this process. Your manager is already thinking about your performance for the year, and may have promotions on the brain. However, you don’t necessarily need to wait for an official window for talking about salary. If you’ve come to the conclusion that you would like to ask for more money, all you really need to do is schedule time with your boss to sit down and discuss. Make sure you have set a time when both of you can concentrate- don’t do it on the f ly (like as you’re both getting coffee in the morning).What Tools Should You Have Ready to Go?Even though you’ve likely been at your job for a while, don’t rely on your boss’s institutional memory of what you’ve done. Be prepared to come up with your â€Å"I deserve a raise today† package from scratch. This is especially true if your current boss isn’t the one who hired you. Don’t make him or her dig through your HR file to get your resume from six years ago. Here’s what you should be prepared to bring to your meeting:Updated resume. An up-to-date resume isn’t a betrayal of your employer, or a sign you’re looking to jump ship. It’s a smart tool to have: a current record of what you’ve accomplished in the time since you’ve been hired.A target salary range. Similar to a new hire, you should know what you’re worth, professionally. Use sites like the S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pa yscale.com, Salary.com, and GlassDoor.com to figure out where you should be aiming. This can be good for two reasons: a) If you’re making less than other people in similar roles, that’s a great talking point to have; and b) it prevents you from asking for the Moon when you should be asking for, say, a modest moon rock.Non-salary considerations. Would your life be easier if you could work from home one day a week? Can you get three extra vacation days? These are things to consider, especially if your company isn’t able or willing to meet your â€Å"suggested† new salary.A plan B. If your company can’t or won’t compensate you to a level you deserve based on your achievements and experience, then what’s your next move? Do you sigh, keep the status quo, and try again next year? Or do you decide that this is no longer a company you want to work for? Before you talk with your boss, have a sense of what you will do, pending different outcome s.How Should You Approach It?Long before you approach your boss about a raise, make sure you’re performing at the top of your game. Take on extra responsibilities, and make sure everything’s documented. Seek out leadership opportunities within your company. And always, always have specific examples in mind. You’ll need to justify the extra money, so having concrete talking points as to how you’ve gone above and beyond will make it easier for your boss to either approve, or pass it along to the next level for consideration.25% of people that asked for a raise got more money than they were expectingThe politics can be tricky with an in-house request for a raise. After all, you’re not facing a faceless HR person or someone you met once for an interview. You’re approaching someone you’ve worked with, possibly for a long time. According to research by Undercover Recruiter, people are anxious in general about asking for a raise- as many as 39% of people are hesitant to dive into the process, with a scant 26% of women and 40% of men feeling confident enough to go for it: Once you’ve gathered your data points and gathered the courage to approach your manager about a raise, make sure you keep a balanced, professional tone throughout. Even if you and your boss are best buds, remember that this is a relationship-neutral zone: he or she can’t reward you just for being a hilarious friend, or a co-conspirator in office shenanigans. Remember that you’re negotiating something as a professional, so act like the consummate professional who deserves more compensation.When Do You Settle? Or, When Do You Walk Away?Unlike a new job offer salary negotiation, you don’t have the same luxury of walking away from the process. If your boss says no, you still have to show up at work the next day. This is where your Plan B comes in handy. If you’d already decided that you’re going to move on if the c ompany doesn’t give you a raise, don’t quit in a snit. Calmly end the conversation with your boss, and quietly make plans to look for your next job opportunity. Remember, it’s easier to look for a job while you have a job, so don’t give up in anger and endanger your security in the meantime.So what do you think? Are you ready to approach your next salary discussion like the keen-eyed shark you can be?RELATED:  11 Tips for Getting the Salary You Want

Writing Spaces Where to Write Why it Actually Matters

Writing Spaces Where to Write Why it Actually Matters Writing Spaces: Where to Write Why it Actually Matters You know that writers writebut did you know your writing spaces matters significantly?You’re a writer when you put your pen on your paper and create words that combine together to form a sentence. You’re a writer when you stroke the keyboard and type out an email. You’re a writer when you comment on a Facebook post.The fact is, you’re a writer whenever and wherever you add anything in writing in a physical or virtual location- but especially if youre writing a book.But where should you write? What makes a great writing space? And how do you create one?Heres what well cover about your writing space:Writing spaces at homeWriting spaces outside of the houseWhere to writeUtilize at-home writing spaces alwaysBlock out noise with headphonesSet a timer in your writing spaceWrite in the same placeWriting space tips from famous authorsRead on, my friend.You’re going to learn about my favorite writing spaces and tools for where to write and creating a writing space.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereWriting Spaces at HomeCreating a writing space at home is not difficult and can generally be done without spending a lot of money. I am lucky enough to have my own writing office, but even without that, you can still create a space that is just for you and your writing.Here are a few tips to start building your writing space:Clear off the corner of your table. (It might mean that you throw away the mountain of mail you’ve been meaning to open or you finally put your laundry away, but a corner of a table will do just fine for this).Find a paper and pencil, pen and notepad, or a computer.Put your tools in that space and you’ve built a writing space.Tell your kids, your significant other, or your cat (although best of luck on training the feline) that this is your space and it is protected in a ma gical bubble where only you are allowed!Now, you have a writing space where you can do what writers do, write.If you have a small budget (less than $100) to set up a writing space, you can scour buy, sell, trade groups for small writing desks. My husband found this gem of a writing desk for $75 on a local Facebook swap site.I use it to journal during my morning routine (don’t forget to check out Chandler’s morning routine video) and outline things with good old-fashioned pen and paper.Once my brain dumping to my journal is finished, I often transition to a more standardized office desk where I have my computer set up.So if your budget is a little higher, between $300 $500, you can buy an office desk from a used furniture store and get a nice desk, with delivery and set-up.This helps you feel like you’re in more of a work mode and will be able to get things donePerhaps you have a grand budget to use. You can go to a higher-end furniture store and buy a cherry o r an oak desk for $1000-$2000. But, it is absolutely not necessary.So, if you have have as little as $0 or as much as $2000+ dollars to spend, you can set up a writing space at home for you to meet your daily writing goals.Where to Write Outside of Your HomeAnywhere!Really, anywhere? Sure, you can go anywhere to write. I have some places that I recommend and some places that I would stay away from, but you can write anywhere.Most writers have a favorite coffee shop. I have three. I love writing at a chain coffee shop when I need a little more background noise. It helps me zone into my rough draft writing and I work well when I am surrounded by others, coffee in hand, and can dedicate my time to writing. There’s also an independent coffee shop that I enjoy going to.During NaNoWriMo we had some of our write-ins there. I love that it was designed so that at any table there is a spot where we can plug in our devices and type away.I find this particularly useful when I am needing some motivation from being around other creatives, as there’s also a wall of art that changes frequently. Finally, I really like a pay-it-forward cafe that has a community table where I can go when I need to concentrate on editing. Sometimes the different niches help me out the most so that I can focus on doing what writers do write!Here are some ideas for writing spaces outside our home:The libraryA museumA parkA dinerYour backyardYour front or back porchIt will depend on what you’re writing though as to which works the best.Anywhere that you can go with your notebook, computer, or your phone is a location that you can write.So, there you have it! You can write anywhere that you can take a writing device.These are my overall recommended writing spaces:An area of your home, dedicated to writingA local coffee shopA libraryA MuseumA parkA shared officeThe beachA friends houseA dinerAnywhere that you can take a writing deviceWhich Online Writing Spaces to UseOn a noteboo k, a computer, a phone. Anywhere that you can record words and be a writer. Because that’s what a good writer does, you write.There are many different writing softwares to use for your virtual writing space.Personally, I prefer to outline, mindmap, prewrite with a good old-fashioned pen and paper. But I know many writers who prefer to do their prewriting in a Google Doc, on Scrivener, Microsoft Office 365 or in a similar space online. Be sure that no matter where you decide to write that you are free from distractions and that you write. Once you have your prewriting done, then you can move into creating a first draft.Google DocsThis is when I generally switch over from pencil and paper to an electronic format. I open up my Google Doc and I make an electronic version of my outline. This is important, because then I can quickly move from place to place in my document. After I outline on my Google Doc, I move into writing out sentences. At this point, I don’t necessarily worry about whether or not I am writing cohesive sentences, I just get words on the paper, because I am doing what writers do- they write.As Ray Bradbury says, â€Å"Quantity makes up for quality.†Microsoft WordIf you’re not a Google Docs person, there are other tools out there that you can use to capture your words electronically.The most well-known is Microsoft Word.This is great if you always have access to it, which is possible with Office 365, but for me, Google Docs works better.ScrivenerScrivener is another tool that you can use to capture all your ideas, outlines, and planning in one place. The best thing about this is that it’s web-based, so you access it anywhere that you have access to the internet. Most writers that use this tool absolutely love it- so let us know if you have it and you love it.Finally, if you’re driving and have ideas come to you, you can capture them with a speech-to-text app and then transfer them to a word processing docu ment later.This is particularly useful, as I often have ideas come to me when I am traveling. Do not let the excuse of â€Å"I don’t have a writing space† hold you back from writing, because with very few tools (most are free or minimal cost), you have a writing space or a location to write.Writing Spaces Tips for BeginnersSetting up a writing space is not always easy, but you know you want to write and you need to have a space to do what writers do: write! So here are some tips to help you.#1 Use your at-home writing space for writingYou wouldn’t take a bath in the kitchen sink, right?Right! Don’t use your writing space for other activities only use it for writing.â€Å"But I only have one computer where else do I go to get on Facebook, watch YouTube, or pay my bills?†I am guessing that if you’re like my family, you have a mobile computer a laptop, a surface, an iPAD, or something similar. For the purpose of writing at-home, make sure t hat the device goes to the designated spot you have set up for that.Then move when you’re not writing.When we move to specific places to accomplish a task, our brains engage in those tasks and we are able to focus on doing what writers do write.#2 Block out noise with headphonesYou will be distracted. If you’re writing at home and have children, your kids will distract you. If you’re writing at a coffee shop, there will be other customers (hey, you want coffee shops to have customers that’s what keeps them in business and gives you a space to write).Invest in some headphones. Our brains can process doing other things with music or white background noise. Create some by tuning into your favorite playlist.I personally find meditation music especially helpful for this.#3 Set a timerEquip your writing space with a timer. I, personally, usually have enough self-discipline to use my phone as a timer, but I love my Google Home Mini for this too.Simply say, â€Å"Hey Google Set timer for 25 minutes.† Twenty-five minutes is my magic number to get a lot of words written in a relatively short amount of time.#4 Write in the same place, at the same timeWhether you write as a part of your morning writing routine, when you get home from work, or some other time of day, write in the same place at the same time.That’s why it’s important for you to have some kind of writing space even if it’s only the corner of the table.#5 Write when inspiration hits tooKeep a dedicated writing space, but don’t forget about diving into the spontaneity of writing also.That’s why I keep my Google Doc app on my phone. I can make brief notes and then splice them together into coherent sentences later.Writing Space Tips from Famous AuthorsThe advice from almost any best-selling author is to always be ready to write anywhere. You never know where inspiration will hit, so always have something to record your thoughts. J.K . Rowling also says, â€Å"I can write anywhere.† Jodi Picoult says â€Å"I can write anywhere.† E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, â€Å"A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.†So don’t wait until you have the perfect space prepared to start writing. Just start writing, because that’s what writers do write.Writing Space Tips to Get You StartedFind a device a laptop, a computer, a phone, a notepad, a notebook, a journal to record your thoughts. Then do what writers do write.Do not wait until you can make your writing area perfect or until inspiration hits to write. Write right now. Because that’s what writers do, they write.That’s right! All you need for a writing space is a dedicated space to write and the desire to put one word in front of another and you’ve created your writing space, so write on, my friend.For additional tips on setting up a home o ffice or working from home, be sure to check out How to Successfully Work from Home (Habits, Handling Distractions, And The Ultimate Office Setup video created by Chandler Bolt.Are You Ready to Get Started Today?Publishing your book is SO CLOSE.If your ready to get started, check out this free training to help you write, market, and publish your book within 90 days!