Dear Dave,
I’ve always made good money at my job, but recently I was offered a promotion to a salaried manager’s position. The hours and pay would be much better, and I already know the approximate pay range. Do you have any tips for negotiating salary in a situation like this?
Natalie
Dear Natalie,
Congratulations on your move up! I’m sure you worked hard and deserve the promotion and recognition.
There are a couple of measuring sticks you can use when determining something like this. One is a quick and simple approach associated with the revenue you bring in. It’s a nice, quantifiable reference point that appeals to a lot of supervisors and business owners. The second thing you could do is research a few reputable career websites, and develop a short but detailed compensation study based on comparable positions in your area and those similar to your location. Honestly though, if I had a valued and respected member of my team moving up from hourly to salaried, we’d have more of a give-and-take discussion and examination of the situation rather than a negotiation.
Yeah, in your position I’d create a few well-researched compensation studies. Give them to your bosses, and talk with them. I know I would be impressed by that, and depending on the size of the company, they may not have done a lot of work figuring it out.
In a way, it’s kind of like deciding what to ask for when you sell a car. You try to appraise it for what it’s worth in the marketplace to other people. That leads to a discussion. You’re not telling them what to do or presenting an ultimatum, you’re providing information and conducting a dialogue in a professional and respectful way.
Good luck, Natalie!
—Dave
.JPG)
* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
.jpg){kind=icon}
