Ah, the root of all pleasure and evil. At some point in everyone’s lives we are met with the issue of having to negotiate a higher salary. To many this is a nerve-wracking task, and yet without salary negotiation and asserting oneself, one may not get the starting salary they want to build up from.
In a PsyBlog article (see below), 10 steps were provided to help an employee successfully negotiate higher pay.
PsyBlog's Article on how to negotiate a higher salary
The article suggested the following ways:
1. Open Negotiations
2. You set the anchor
3. Start High
4. Make a Joke
5. Compete
6. Collaborate
7. Win-win feels better, but nets less (knowing when to ‘lose’ the negotiating debate)
8. Avoid Compromise and Accommodation
9. Forget Gender Stereotypes
10. Be Bold
Definitely a tricky thing, negotiating salary, yet this article does hold true. With the case of starting the negotiation at a higher salary, the article asks people to employ the door-in-the-face technique, through which asking for higher salary and then moving down towards the actual starting salary you want may make the actual salary you want less outrageous. This also relates to the theory of reciprocity by Robert Cialdini, because by stating a starting salary at a higher price to begin with and getting rejected, the employer may feel guilty for having rejected the first salary figure. If a future employee negotiates a higher salary figure than what he/she actually wants and then moves down to the figure he/she actually wants, they are more likely to get a ‘yes’ to the actual salary figure by comparison.
Also, by starting salary negotiation first, potential employees can have better control over the negotiation process because they can start with a higher figure and work from there. They can also showcase their boldness and their risk-taking.
In the end, salary negotiations are obviously easier said than done and it’s especially easier said than done correctly. One can only hope their future employer is an agreeable and understanding boss.
alvinajng 