Want a Higher Salary?

It’s easy to mess up the salary conversation when interviewing.

I see these 3 scenarios the most when coaching candidates:

• They think they’re ready for the salary talk, but then they panic and accept whatever the company is offering.
• They focus so much on negotiating the salary that they forget they can negotiate the benefits.
• They’re interviewing for a junior position, and are too afraid to negotiate (or think it’s okay to accept any offer).

If this sounds familiar, I’m here to help you get better at salary negotiation.

Let me start with 3 ground rules to always keep in mind:

1. It’s not wrong to bring up the salary in the first interview.
2. You can negotiate more than the base salary.
3. You have to advocate for yourself (because nobody else will).

Now let’s unpack that.

When should you bring up the salary if it’s not listed in the job description?

Contrary to what you may see on TikTok and Instagram, it’s perfectly fine to discuss the salary in the first interview.

Imagine going through the whole interview process only to find out during the negotiation phase that the salary doesn’t even closely align with what you had in mind.

The key tactic here is to know how and when to ask the question. Wait until the end of the interview. When they ask Do you have any questions for me?, that’s your cue to ask What’s the salary range for this role?

No need to feel awkward. Compensation is a crucial part of any job (unless you’re volunteering).

It could be a red flag if they’re reluctant to answer or try to change the subject because it’s their job to tell you.

There’s more to negotiate than the base salary.

Lots of job seekers get fixated on the salary itself and forget (or don’t know) that they can negotiate other things.

Here’s what you can negotiate besides the salary:

• Extra WFH days (if possible)
• Transportation stipend
• Paid courses, books, workshops, certifications
• Shorter hours
• A 4-day work week
• Health insurance
• Gym membership
• WFH setup
• Coworking stipend
• Stock options
• Days off

The point is,even if the salary is fixed or even if you’re happy with the offer, it’s okay to negotiate the benefits to sweeten the deal.

Advocate for yourself ❤️

I understand why it’s easy to panic — the interviewer has a lot more negotiation experience and it may feel like they have the upper hand. I also know that any conversation around money feels uncomfortable for most people.

But nobody is born a great negotiator. Negotiating is a skill that you can learn.

Here’s how you can get more confident and advocate for yourself better:

• Research the standard pay for a similar role in your industry and location.
• Learn how much people in similar roles make.
• Try to find how much the company pays people in similar positions.
• Think about the absolute minimum salary you’d accept and the amount that would make you 100% happy.

If you don’t know exactly how to do that, we recently published a comprehensive guide on how to answer the salary question.

Let me know what you think!

P.S. Whatever you do, don’t undersell yourself. You’re trading your skills for a salary, so aim for a fair exchange.