Getting The Salary You Deserve

8 considerations to get the salary you deserve

Getting the salary you deserve is one the most talked about topics when it comes to getting what you want. This blog will help you think about how to build up your case and get what you deserve.

Posted by Callum Stevenson, PR Recruiter, Tuesday March 13 2018

Getting what you deserve is not a simple as it seems, here are some factors to consider:

1. Do your personal finances

Before you work out what you deserve, a good starting point is to start from the base point of; ‘what do I need?’. It sounds obvious however breaking down your personal outgoings will help you calculate the absolute base line of what you’re willing to accept.

2. Work on the master copy of your CV

Create a master copy of your CV (a non-edited down version). This is a great starting point to visualise and remember all the skills and experience you’ve gathered through your hard work over the years. Don’t forget to add your facts and figures as you go. 

3. Recommendations are key

Similar to winning awards, getting references that back up your quality are a great string to your added value bow. The more your references can include your achievements and demonstrate the value you can add the better. 

4. Speak to your current employer

Before you can understand your value to other companies you must first get an understanding of the value you add to your current employer. It takes a little gumption to do this however asking your current boss directly ‘do you feel I’m paid in line with the value I’m adding to the business’ is a fair question. If your boss struggles to answer you then it a good sign something needs to be addressed.

5. Be aware of your personal brand

From your social media profile picture to your telephone manner, you’re constantly being judged. Be sure to work on your personal brand and remove anything searchable online that might turn potential employers off.

6. Do your research

Research the industry you’re interviewing in compared to your skill set and experience. There are many way to do this however I think a mixture of online research and conversations with recruiters that you trust will quickly help in seeing what packages are out there for your experience in a certain industry. 

7. Be open at the start of a recruitment process

Don’t commit to a salary level too early – the reality is that you will have to interview before you get all the information you need. If you leave salary conversations to the end of the process, clients will also get more time to fall in love with you, increasing your demand and ultimately how much they’d be willing to pay you.

8. Ironically, remember it’s not all about the offer

Don’t jump at the basic salary – consider that if you get a high basic salary without negotiating and understanding the other parts of joining the company or the benefits package, you could find yourself in a role that looks good to begin with but doesn’t offer any promotion for some time.