Negotiating a salary can be challenging and stressful when you are looking to make a career change, but it’s essential. It ensures you will be compensated for your skills and experience. Here are some of our recommendations after having worked with thousands of candidates at our Executive Recruiting firm: 

• Conduct Research: Investigate the salary range for your role, similar positions in your industry. Also, talk to your peers who might be holding the roles you are targeting to understand what their compensation looks like. These insights will help you assess your worth and set realistic negotiation expectations.
• Recognize Your Value: Understand and value your skills, experience, and achievements and how they can  contribute to your new employer’s success. This knowledge empowers you to prove your value and enhance your position when you negotiate.
• Project Confidence: Confidence plays a vital role in salary negotiations. Be well-prepared to articulate your value and reasons for deserving a higher salary. Consider practicing negotiation skills with a friend or mentor to boost your confidence.

• Look at the Compensation Package as a Whole: Beyond the base salary, consider extra benefits like paid time off, flexible work arrangements, or performance bonuses. These can complement your compensation package and give you more of the lifestyle you want. 
• Flexibility is Key: Maintain an open and flexible attitude. Be willing to listen and negotiate based on the company’s and your personal needs and constraints. Finding a mutually beneficial solution is often the beginning of a very long lasting relationship. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
• Active Listening: Listen to the employer’s needs and concerns. It helps you understand their perspective and find common ground for a successful negotiation.
• Work Closely with your Recruiter: If you are working with a third party Recruiter hired by the company, be open and honest on your salary expectations from the beginning. With that information in hand your Recruiter can start the negotiations on your behalf even before you meet the Hiring Managers. Furthermore, you will not waste time on recruiting processes with companies that might not be able to afford your expectations.

Having been in the Recruiting Industry for several years we have seen how these strategies have helped our candidates and our clients come into agreement on a salary that reflects and rewards the candidate’s skills and experience and is aligned with his/her expectations.