How to Negotiate Salary for Your Next Career Move

Posted by Palmerston North Resume on 24 Mar 2025

Negotiating your salary is difficult to talk about, because it is about balancing what you believe you’re worth with what your employer believes they’re able to afford. If it’s done right it can be an enjoyable experience for both sides that results in a higher pay for the employee, as well as greater employees’ engagement in their jobs. Here’s how you can negotiate your salary with confidence.

Principal Takeaways

  • Before you make a salary offer, research market rates and industry standards to confirm that your salary request is realistic.
  • Find out information by socializing with colleagues, using online resources such as LinkedIn Salary and Glassdoor, and contacting professional networks.
  • Plan your talk points ahead of time, including education and certificates as well as years of relevant experiences, achievements and results as well as unique skill sets and abilities, industry expertise, and training opportunities.
  • During the negotiation, you must be assured and confident but remain flexible and open-minded. Show tangible results that you achieved in your previous positions.
  • Maintain a positive mood throughout the conversation, and practice active listening.

Do your research

Before entering into any salary negotiation, you need to conduct a thorough investigation of standard industry rates and market rates to ensure that your salary suggestion is realistic. Some factors that can affect this may include levels of experience levels, the size of your company and the location of the company. (?). One great way to gather information is through networking with your colleagues or those who are in the same profession.

Research Online

Utilizing online resources, such as [LinkedIn SalaryWith the help of some online resources like [LinkedIn Salary (https http://www. linkedin. com/salary) and [Glassdoorglassdoor (https http://www. glassdoor. com/Salaries/index. http://www.salaries.com/index.html) you can obtain a an additional perspective on the range of benchmarking salaries businesses pay for the same job. This will give you an idea about current market rate plus few other elements that are related to a job.

Your Network is Important

Gain insight by speaking to friends who have held similar positions, or contacting them through professional networks and brainstorming with members within professional organizations.

Plan talking points

Time spent preparing for any negotiation is always time well spent. You’ll be more confident when giving your argument if you have a clearly defined list of points to discuss before the deadline.

Here are a few instances of items you may want to consider including in your salary negotiation:

  • Education and certification
  • Experience gained through years of relevant work
  • Results and achievements
  • Unique skill set and qualities (e.g., bilingualism)
  • Know-how in the field
  • Potential for training

Notes and notebooks can assist during conversations to ensure that one doesn’t forget any important points.

Be confident & concise

In a negotiation for a salary it is essential to be confident and clear. Be clear about your experience, achievements and job expectations. It’s crucial to maintain your tone of voice positive throughout the conversation so that the person who is hiring you feels that you’re not seeming unfriendly.

The Key to Tangible Results

Simply stating that someone is driven, hardworking, and aspire-driven person may not be enough for an appealing appeal. Therefore, provide clear data about how your previous positions made a difference in companies or how important are certain skills that can benefit an organization.

Remain flexible

If your employer isn’t able to agree to your salary or compensation package Being flexible and open will allow for discussion. You may be able to ask for alternatives to incentives, such as performance-based bonus structures instead of the Base salary(? ).

Be sure remain professional throughout the negotiation process - regardless of how well or poorly it’s going: being too combative or imposing unreasonable demands will likely result in an unfavourable outcome for everyone who is involved.

Practice active listening

Listening is as crucial as communicating during these kinds of conversations. Be attentive to the another party while you negotiate, listening to the requested amount carefully & clarifying doubts if at all while gently sticking with original request. In the end, both parties must achieve satisfactory results.

Take what you have learned away from these conversations and apply it to future negotiations you’ll likely take part in. Applying the advice above goes far in maximizing the chances of achieving positive outcomes that are mutually beneficial.

Your Network is Important Have a chat with friends who have held similar roles or reach out to networking networks for professionals as well as brainstorming members within professional organizations.
Make talking points Certification and education, Years of relevant experience, Performance and accomplishments, unique skills and characteristics (e.g. the ability to speak two languages) Knowledge of the industry, ability to train
Be confident & concise Speak clearly about your experiences your accomplishments and expectations for the job. Focus on tangible results.
Be flexible Find out about other incentives, such as incentive structures based on performance rather than Base salary. (?). You must remain professional during the negotiation.
Practice active listening Listening is equally important in these types of conversations. Take what you have learned away from these conversations and apply it to future discussions you’ll likely be involved in.


Ready for your next career change? Check out Palmerston North Resume ‘s services today!

Frequently Answered Questions

What is the concept of salary negotiation?

Negotiating salary is discussing and deciding on the compensation plan for a position. During this process it is possible to discuss not just the salary you earn, but also other benefits like health insurance, retirement plans and much more.

Why is it necessary to discuss salary?

Negotiating your pay can provide you a better financial outlook as well as indicate that you are aware of your worth. It will also allow you to not leave money on the table.

When should I begin to negotiate the salary?

It is ideal to begin negotiations following the acceptance of an offer to ensure everyone is informed of what’s being discussed. Then, the negotiations will be focused on securing the best terms, while avoiding any unintentional surprises.

What happens if I am completely satisfied with the offered package without negotiation?

If you receive an offer and are content with it, there’s no reason to discuss it. It’s nevertheless important to provide clear information about what the employer will offer with regards to things like performance-based bonuses or career-training reimbursements.

Can I negotiate salary when I change careers entirely?

Negotiating your salary after changing career paths can require extra preparation due to the fact that your previous experience might not directly translate or relate to the new duties. Research what similar roles in similar fields pay, to develop a thorough idea of what realistic expectations are for you, based on the specific circumstances.

Ready for your next career change? Check our Palmerston North Resume ‘s services today!

First time using a resume writer, and so happy with the finished resume. I was also so impressed with the prompt responses throughout the whole process from Tanya and in general the quick turnaround time to produce it. I love the fact the resume represented who I am based on my skills and attributes. I definitely recommend Palmerston North Resume to anyone who hasn't used a resume writer before. They are also so affordable compared to so many on the market who charge an absolute fortune.
Angela Skaf
Thank you to Jamie from Palmerston North Resume who was so patient and thorough with me during this process. I absolutely love my new documents! Thank you again. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Jodie Morris
I was amazed how quickly and efficiently my request was making progress during COVID lockdown. First I made a contact in the chat where we had a short conversation. Then Tanja and Gemma from Palmerston North Resume contacted me over the phone where we discussed the particulars. I am good in my specialty, but writing resumes is not my strongest skill. As a result I got the resume and the cover letter reworked really well. I believe my chances of getting a good job got way better now than before.
Kateryna D
This is well worth the investment. So if you are tossing up whether you should do it or not just pull the trigger. I dealt with Tanja and she was incredibly professional. She communicated thoroughly. Provided a timely turnaround. The final outcome was brilliant. Admittedly I would have never had the capacity to put that much time and effort in. It's crazy how someone who is writing about you can capture you better than you can yourself. Massive thanks to Tanja. Highly recommended Palmerston North Resume.
Shelby Allen
Highly recommended. Tanja have done a fantastic job with my CV, Cover letter and selection criteria. They’re looking fantastic and well detailed. Thank you
Abbi Abbi
Can not recommend highly enough....Tanja... gets results we had the best experience from start to finish..HIGHLY recommend if you want results.
Tem & Angie Kuru
I can’t recommend this company enough! I get so many compliments on my resume. Every job I have applied for I have been offered based on it. Trust me Tanja is a wizard!!! Amazing job again helping me with the selection criteria. Easy 5 stars!!
Rebecca White
Fantastic people to deal with, fast efficient service. Tanja updated my very outdated resume and cover letter. Outstanding work! Thank you so much!
Dean Wale
Highly recommend these guys! Very professional and knowledgeable.
Jeremy Markus
Great job Tanja quick and very high quality work. Many thanks.
Owen Scanlon
Unlocking Secrets to Successful Salary Negotiations in Just a Few Easy Steps

Resume

We provide professional resume writing services.

Unlocking Secrets to Successful Salary Negotiations in Just a Few Easy Steps

Cover Letter

We provide professional cover letter writing services.

Unlocking Secrets to Successful Salary Negotiations in Just a Few Easy Steps

LinkedIn Profile

We provide professional linkedin profile writing services.

Unlocking Secrets to Successful Salary Negotiations in Just a Few Easy Steps

Contact Us

Click the button below to get in touch.

About Us &

What We Do

We provide professional resume writing services and our highly experienced resume writers will ensure that your resume sticks out among the crowd.

We’re a team of highly qualified and seasoned Recruiters, consultants and HR Professionals who are committed to providing you with an exceptional, well-written resume or cover letter.

We pride ourselves on our vast understanding of top-practice hiring methodologies and Australian recruitment standards. Plus, our expertise in a vast variety of professions, industries, and areas means that we can deliver a high-quality, powerful resume that meets your personal requirements.

Our end goal is to deliver you with an impressive, striking resume that is perfectly maximised for success in the competitive Palmerston North job market.

We provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our writing services, so you can be sure that you will be happy with your new cover letter or resume.

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Make an Enquiry

Request a Quote

Fill out the form below to get in touch or call us today on
0800 215 100