5 very practical ways to up your initial salary offer

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A survey conducted by Glassdoor revealed that a staggering 59 percent of employees accepted their initial salary offers without negotiating. Understandably, the thought alone of asking for more money might seem uncomfortable to you, but failing to know your worth could lose you more than just money.

Here are a few ways to negotiate your initial salary offer.

1. Use your accomplishments as ammo

Don’t give them a low-ball figure of your expected salary. If the application requires a number, leave it blank.

Make it clear early on that you’re absolutely confident of your worth (within reason) without having to divulge a number.

Instead, highlight what you’ve done for your previous employer and what you’re capable of doing for the company. Concretize your accomplishments in an organized document, and back these up with precise numbers, for example, how much money a past project was worth, potential business and clients your work can bring.

Doing this will prove your worth beyond a simple monthly pay – you’re good at what you do, and you can produce results.

2. Be transparent about other offers

But let them know they’re your preferred company.

Remember to do this with complete honesty and don’t get caught on a bluff. Once they know other companies are interested, they might begin to sweat a little, especially if you’re considered a priority. It is important to give them a sense of urgency, because leaving a crucial spot open and losing a potential employee can cost them more money in the long-run.

Startup companies rely on a small group of people to execute big work, and they can’t afford to take their time. A good template of mentioning the offer would be something like this:

“Thank you so much for considering me. I wanted to make you aware of something and see if you have a recommendation for me. I’ve unexpectedly received another job offer and while (insert company) is my top pick, there are aspects of the other role that appeal to me. Do you anticipate that (insert company) will be firming up a decision shortly?”

3. Go off topic

Talk about more personal details about yourself and forget about the goal for a second.

Sharing information irrelevant to the negotiation establishes rapport, and therefore builds trust. A study revealed that 59 percent of applicants who did this reached an agreement.

For example, you can talk about hobbies or circumstances that influenced your current career. For example, “Growing up with brothers meant playing console and computer games, which eventually evolved into a deeper interest in programming.”

4. Prepare for war

5. Walk away

What’s the trade-off?