Hi everyone!
This week, I realized I promised a Part Two on salary negotiations when I published it on December 2 and then two days later my dad passed and then it was the services and then it was the holidays… and I totally forgot I ever wrote that! What I did instead was update the original post and pinned it to the Talking Out of School homepage.
I hope people find any tips or insights in here helpful as you think about taking a new job or renegotiating your compensation in your current role.
TL;DR:
Do it - salary negotiation in an important professional skill and you can only develop it with practice.
Be prepared - both through personal reflection and gathering data
Remember to keep in mind “compensation” - any benefits, including professional development funding, you may receive in your job. Often it is easier to a supervisor to have more latitude to work on getting you to do that program you’ve been wanting than giving you an increase in cash salary.
Remember to think about your duties as it relates to cash salary. Maybe an extra duty would be worth the extra salary or maybe the school has room to reassign something that’s been part of your job that you’re ready to say goodbye to, giving you some time back.
A good leader who respects your work will want to “get to yes.” If you have a bad experience, it’s data about your current job and it’s valuable.
For new jobs, wisdom from my dad: “If a job doesn’t feel right going in, it’s not going to get any better.” Be polite and professional and collaborative and don’t let a prospective employer pressure you for an answer until you’ve had your questions answered.