Sunday, March 10, 2019

Special Salary Negotiation Tip

This is a subject that I broach often with clients. But Harry Joiner from 97-job-search-tips.com wrote this essay below about three (3) years ago. It is brilliant:

Do NOT tell the HR department or hiring manager of the company with which you're interviewing how much you make in your present job. Trust me, they'll always ask "How much are you making now?" Do NOT tell them! They'll look irritated and ask again, as if you might not have understood their question. But simply stick to your guns and politely say "Until we reach an agreement, I'd prefer to keep my W-2 figures private. I understand that the salary range for this job is $___, and that is acceptable for me." End of story.

Just tell them that you wish to keep your W-2 figures private and leave it at that. They'll brow beat you -- but if they're really interested in you, they'll keep the dialogue moving.

Here's why: On the one hand, you might be the best qualified candidate for the job, even though you make $20K less than the other candidates under consideration. No good deed goes unpunished: If you tell the company your salary, they will low-ball your offer -- thereby penalizing you for the fact that you just happen to be underpaid in your current job. Happens all the time.

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