The Money Talk

The interviews went well; you like the applicant – he seems to have been born for the job. Now there comes a point in the application process where you are going to tell him how much you actually like him – through the numbers of his proposed salary. If the prospective employee is happy with that, there is nothing else to do but shake hands and show him to his new office.

But what if the applicant has a different idea of what he’s worth, and the number you offer make him feel undervalued? The hiring manager doesn’t want to go overboard on the salary; the applicant would like more but is afraid of letting the job slip through his fingers.

Salary negotiation can be a touchy subject for any job candidate. They would like to be paid what they feel is fair, yet don’t want to appear greedy. Settlling for less could hang like a heavy shadow in the new employee’s mind. In my article on PsychologyToday.com I tell job seekers not to shy away from this delicate matter, and list 23 tips on negotiating a higher salary counteroffer in such a way that both the applicant and the employer are happy.

On the manager’s side, you need to strike a balance between saving money and being fair. Fully understanding your candidate’s value on the job market and bringing it up during salary negotiation will help you strike that balance – while making the new employee feeling appreciated. “Money talk” also gives you a chance to observe your counterpart’s negotiating skills and diplomacy in a delicate situation. For more detail, read the complete article.