Breaking Into Repro: Negotiating a Salary
The process of finding a job is a long and challenging one, especially in a pandemic, and if you don’t know where to begin. For a lot of people, particularly marginalized folks, first-generation folks, and people of color, this process is a mystery shared by mentors and in secret. We hope to demystify this process for everyone and help you feel more prepared as you search for a new position. In this series, we’ll share tips to help you throughout the process.
One of the most nerve-wracking parts of the hiring process is the salary negotiations. For a lot of us, it can be uncomfortable to name our labor in terms of a dollar value, and even more scary to wonder what someone else thinks our labor is worth. This is complicated more when organizations don’t say how much a position pays and it becomes a guessing game until the moment we’re offered a position or if they’re basing your potential new salary on your previous underpaid positions. It’s enough to turn anyone into a stress ball. Here are a few tips to help you:
Calculate your number.
One important part of job searching is figuring out what type of job you can afford to take. What do we mean by that? Well, what is the wage or salary you’ll need to earn in the position to be able to cover all of your bills, care for yourself and your family, and save for your future? Make yourself a budget with all of your bills, what you spend your money on, the debt you have to pay off, and how much you’d like to save, and then figure out how much you’d need to earn each hour/month/year to be able to live as you’d like and care for your loved ones. Resources like You Need a Budget can help if you’re not sure where to start. Hopefully, the positions you’re applying for will list their salaries, and this will help you understand whether or not you can afford to apply for the jobs. It will also help you narrow down your search for positions within your affordability range and help you prepare when negotiating for a salary. You’ll already know what you need to earn and plan for what you’ll ask for within their budgeted salary range. If the positions don’t list salaries, this is an absolutely acceptable question to ask in a first interview.
What are your healthcare and benefits needs?
We’re socialized to just accept whatever health insurance and benefits that come with the job, but we should be taking a more active role as part of the salary negotiation process. If you’re someone who needs a strong and affordable health insurance plan, but the organization doesn’t have it, that means you’ll need to pay more out-of-pocket to cover your well-being and doctor visits. That cuts out of your take-home pay. Take time to think about what your healthcare costs are and know what you need to be covered in a benefits package, and if it’s not covered, know the cost so you can factor that into your salary. Ask to review the health insurance coverage and other benefits as part of your offer package review period. It's ok to ask for a few days to review this, especially because health insurance information can be difficult to decipher. If the organization doesn't want to give you that time, that might be a red flag—why is their hiring urgency greater than your healthcare needs?
Ask what the salary range is.
If the salary isn’t listed on the job description, this should be one of your first questions during your first interview. If they say they don’t have a range, that’s a lie. Every organization has budgeted a certain amount of money for each position’s salary, benefits, and other operating costs. Asking about the budgeted salary range upfront will help make sure everyone is on the same page about how much the position pays and so you know if you can afford to take the position.
Keep your previous salaries private.
You do not have to share your previous salaries. In fact, in several states, it’s illegal for companies to ask for them. As the laws are changing across the country, times are changing and organizations are asking about previous salaries less and less frequently. But, it still happens. You do not have to disclose your previous salaries to a potential employer, especially if you’ve been underpaid for your work based on budgets, cheap bosses, or structural oppression. They have a set budget for the position and they should tell you what that is. You should not be low-balled on a salary because you’ve historically been undervalued.
Take your time.
When you receive an offer for a position (congrats!) you are free to take time to think about it before accepting. After thanking them for the offer, ask the hiring manager when you’d need to get back to them with an answer. Don’t worry, this is pretty customary. Usually, they’ll give you the weekend or 3-5 days before they’d like to hear back from you, especially because they’re waiting for your answer before notifying the other finalist candidates. You deserve that time to sit with it, make sure the offer is what you want, and think about any questions you have before accepting. Talk to loved ones and trusted friends about the offer. Measure the offer up against your calculated number, benefits needs, and all of your other job search desires. Take a look at our salary survey and salary database to see if it’s within the range for people in similar positions in your state. This is especially critical if you’re weighing several offers at the same time. Take the time you need. It’s your life and your future, too.
Make a counteroffer.
Hopefully, when the organization makes you an offer this isn’t the first time you all have discussed money. You should already know the position’s salary range, so you’ll know where the offer fits within the range, if it’s more or less in-line with similar positions in your state and for people with your experience, and you should know whether or not the offer matches what you need to make to afford your budget. If the offer isn’t quite what you were hoping for, tell them that. Name the salary you were hoping to earn for your labor, especially if you know they have room within the salary range. Try not to feel nervous. Remember, they want you for the job, so they should be willing to work with you within the budget constraints they have.
Additionally, if they’re not quite willing to meet you at your desired salary number, you can always ask if you can revisit the conversation at a review in the future. While that might not get you to exactly what you want, it is an opportunity to re-evaluate your salary at a later date. If they say yes, be sure to get that agreement in writing.
Asking for accommodations.
Sometimes money isn’t everything. If you’re looking to negotiate because you didn’t get quite the salary offer you had hoped for or you’re interested in a position but it would be a big pay cut for you, you can always ask for other accommodations. Time is a big one! Perhaps you could negotiate a four day work week or the ability to work from home several days a week so that you can cut down on your commute times. For organizations that don’t have a set vacation accrual, ask about additional vacation days. Get creative and think about what it is that you actually want in lieu of a salary.