First off, congratulations on getting a job offer! You made it through the job search and interviews and they picked you! The one thing left before you accept the job and begin your new adventure is a salary negotiation email!
The Job Offer
If you are offered the job in person or on the phone, don’t feel pressured to accept right away. Thank the hiring manager for the job offer. No matter how the salary negotiations go, this company viewed your credentials and decided you were the type of person they wanted in their ranks. Kindly thank them for the offer and ask if they mind if you take a couple of days to discuss it with your family. This is a reasonable thing to ask. You don’t want to get trapped into negotiating your salary on the spot. It’s best to take a little bit of time (but not too much!) and initiate a salary negotiation email. Why an email? Email allows you to choose your words and your responses carefully. If you’re on the phone or in person, you may be nervous and say something that will work against you or leave out some key information about your qualifications and worth.
Before You Write the Email
Before you begin, gather information about yourself, your current and past jobs and the job that you’ve been offered.
Make a list of your accomplishments. Include successful projects at your current company, ways you saved your current company money, and any awards or commendations you received.
Research the job market. Look at what other people in your geographic area make for the same job. Glassdoor’s Know Your Worth tool or Salary.com can help you determine what the salary range for your position should be.
Consider your value to this new company. What are the most desired qualities that you bring to the table for this company? During the interview process, they reviewed what you did and what you can offer their company but they probably interviewed a lot of people so it doesn’t hurt to highlight the good stuff for them. They’re thinking about what your worth is to them when considering their salary offer so it’s important that you remind them of how you’re going to be worth it for them.
Determine your minimum base pay. Your potential new employer may offer extra vacation time, flexible schedules, telecommuting, and other perks to sweeten the pot but your main focus should be on your base pay. Your base salary is what your bonuses and raises will be based on so you’ll want that to be as high as possible but you should have a firm minimum base salary. How low are you willing to go before you decline the offer?
Writing the Email
Clear communication is the key to any successful salary negotiation email so be straightforward and to the point.
Choose the right recipient. Make sure you’re negotiating with the right person, the person who can decide on salary. Besides looking like you didn’t do your research, you don’t want others to have to find who needs to see it. Don’t send it to the head of the company either. Just like the three bears, you want this to go to the person that is just right.
Be concise. Too many words will waste time and they’ll get lost in the fray. You don’t want to be perceived as overselling yourself. Highlight those professional accomplishments and your value. If this is for a new position at your current company, include the date of your last salary review.
End with an in-person request. End the negotiation email with a request to discuss your salary in person. If you are confident in your abilities to sell yourself and stand up for your worth, discussing salary in person will likely yield the best result. Don’t reveal your salary offer until you meet in person.
Alternative Ending: Include your salary requirement. It is acceptable to include your first salary proposal via email. Keep in mind that while email gives you time to think carefully about your words, it also gives your potential employer the time to mull it over. This could go either way. And you have to wait patiently for the counteroffer.
Sample 1:
Subject: Salary Discussion
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for your job offer of Director of Elephant Washing at United Zoo. As you know, I have many years of experience washing elephants at Continental Zoo where I streamlined the entire elephant foot scrubbing process. I have much to offer to the entire United elephant washing team as well as the zoo itself. I am thrilled to have this new opportunity and I’m eager to begin!
I would like to meet with you to discuss my salary and its reflection of my skills and experience.
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mary Jones
Sample 2:
Subject: Salary Discussion
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for your job offer of Director of Elephant Washing at United Zoo. As you know, I have many years of experience washing elephants at Continental Zoo where I streamlined the entire elephant foot scrubbing process. I have much to offer to the entire United elephant washing team as well as the zoo itself.
With my skills and experience, the starting salary I’m looking for is in the $80,000-$90,000 range.
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mary Jones
Their Offer
It’s usually best to not take their first offer but to make a counteroffer. Often, there’s a little wiggle room when it comes to salary and rarely do they offer their top amount on the first go around. Ask if they can improve on their offer before you counteroffer and make your case as to why they should offer more. Start with “I’m grateful for your salary offer, but…”
Is their offer too close to your minimum? Is it lower? Just because it’s lower, it doesn’t mean that further negotiations won’t bring it up above your minimum. You may have to reveal your minimum to see if they can meet that.
Most people don’t enjoy writing a salary negotiation email, but for the most part, employers expect some kind of negotiation when it comes to the salaries of new-hires. Remember to always be professional and polite when negotiating and don’t make demands. You don’t have to take the job. But if you choose your words carefully and come to the table prepared, you just may be starting your new adventure with a salary that exceeds your original expectations.
