Is The Man keeping you down? You like your job, but you feel you’re underappreciated in that all-important category that’s so hard to talk about — money?

Join the crowd.

Although most people don’t aspire to be used-car salesmen, those smooth talkers have a skill that would serve people well in times like these: The art of negotiation
Call it whatever you want — haggling, bartering, dickering — when it comes to talking about money, most employees are in over their head.

“More than 90 percent of people don’t know how to negotiate and leave money on the table,” said Katy Piotrowski, career counselor and founder of JobWorks.

Piotrowski, 43, of Fort Collins has helped people up their salaries and benefits for 14 years. Good negotiation skills can help a person earn more money either in a current job or when applying for a new one, she said.

“Money is an uncomfortable topic for everyone at the table,” she said.
Employers don’t toss money into the air, and if they did, they wouldn’t be in business for long.

“It’s your responsibility to make sure you get paid what you are worth,” Piotrowski said.

To do this, Piotrowski said the first step is have the information showing you are performing well. Make it obvious you are worth more to the company by focusing on the activities your boss values most.

“Some companies have employees do status reports each week,” Piotrowski said.
If this isn’t the case, do it on your own.

She tells clients to inform employers on their achievements through performance reviews, status reports, weekly updates, FYI memos or casual conversation on a regular basis. This way, employees can get feedback on accomplishments and places for improvement.

Before confronting The Man, think through the proposal carefully and understand what is and is not reasonable. Research will reveal what the industry typically pays for a particular job. This information is accessible through job surveys and job postings.

Todd Gorman, a senior technical recruiter for Volt Technical in Fort Collins, said he has been successful in salary negotiations, increasing his pay by a couple thousand dollars.

“I know what my position should be paying, and I know what is fair because I have done my homework,” Gorman said. “Obviously, a person wants to get as much money as possible, but you don’t want to price yourself out of the market. You have to be realistic.”

When interviewing for a job, Gorman asks how many other people are being interviewed.

“It allows me to gauge what their pool is,” he said.

If there are a lot of candidates, Gorman knows he could price himself out of the job if he demands too much. He also asks for feedback from the interviewer and then tries to network within the organization.

When negotiating, remember some companies have more detailed policies than others.

Mark Neville, assistant manager of human resources for State Farm Insurance Cos. in Greeley, said his company has a  structured compensation package.

“State Farm tries to pay close attention to the labor market to determine what we need to pay a certain skill set to attract individuals,” Neville said. “We have starting salaries. They aren’t necessarily concrete but are pretty consistent. There is good and bad to that. If you do have a very specific and closely related experience, we will certainly entertain salary negotiations, however that is an anomaly.”

Give these hints a shot

1. Watch your timing.
2. Ask for small increases in your base salary based on inflation.
3. Be willing to take an expanded role in the company.
4. Negotiate for perks that don’t cost the company more taxes and benefits.
5. Ask for extra incentives after you’ve made your quota.
6. Make it a winning situation for you and your boss.
7. Be persuasive.
8. Aim high but be realistic.
9. Start off with the right tone.
10. Clarify your interests.
11. Anticipate your boss’ interests.
12. Create several options.
13. Think through your alternatives.

OK, Gomer, don’t say this

1. I need/want more money.
2. I just bought a new car and can’t make the payments.
3. I’m behind in child support.
4. Sally Co-worker makes more than me.
5. I made less this year than I did last year.

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.