How to Successfully Negotiate Your Job Salary in Nigeria
Apr 25th, 2008 by Loy Okezie
Photo courtesy of quiquemendizabal
Most Nigeria job seekers are anxious and uneasy when it comes to discussing job salary. Some lack the right negotiation skills needed to discuss pay during job interviews. As a result, they have either lost the opportunity of a job offer by showing that they are money-driven or have paid the price for their ignorance by accepting an employer’s offer.
Negotiation skills are very important in your job search process, and it’s unfortunate that most Nigerian jobseekers did not learn how to negotiate salaries in the job selection process. In this post, I’ll be discussing ways you can be successful when negotiating your job salary, either during a job interview or when you need a pay raise in your current company.
Below are 10 practical tips to help you negotiate a job salary.
- Determine the market rate salary range for the job position in the industry.
- Prepare a financial budget to determine your financial needs.
- Decide before your interview, what salary you wish to earn, based on your living circumstances, and what salary offer you will be willing to accept.
- Be realistic with your expectations. Understand that entry-level salaries are less negotiable than salaries for middle level and executive positions.
- Practice your salary negotiation skills with a friend, family or colleague.
- Prepare your presentation and be sure to discuss your skills and accomplishments.
- Allow the interviewer to raise the salary issue during the interview.
- When asked your salary history, never give wrong salary figures.
- Avoid saying “I need at least ____ Naira.” Instead, give the interviewer a salary range.
- When you accept a salary offer, highlight that you are looking forward to learning and growing in the company and industry.
Tips on Asking for a Salary Raise
When asking your current boss for a raise in your salary, you should ask in a way that shows you’ve analysed your contributions to the company. One human resource consultant suggests this:
I’ve been evaluating my own performance and what you’ve told me about my performance, and I would like to talk with you about increasing my salary.
This approach would not seem like you are asking for a raise because you want more money. However, if your boss says no, you can then stress your interests in improving your performance by saying:
What would you recommend that I do so I can be one of the top performers on your team?
Tips on Negotiating a Higher Salary
What if you’ve been offered a job, but the salary is lower than your expectations or may not meet your financial needs? You should be bold enough to make your request, but in a reasonable and polite way. Your goal should be to find out the possibilities for future raises, while stressing the fact that you intend to work hard. Another human resource professional suggests:
If I can prove my value, what are the possibilities for future raises?
Above all, you should demonstrate a certain level of confidence and character in order to gain the employers’ respect and admiration.
To your career success!
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Nice article. You don’t into such very often.
THIS ARTICLE IS REALLY HELPFUL.
EVERY APPLICANT MAY BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE A GOOD SALARY, BUT THE FEAR OF LOSING THE OPPORTUNED JOB IS SO GREAT THAT THEY MAY WANT TO START OFF SOMETHING FIRST.
IT IS EASIER TO NEGOTIATE A PAY RISE THAN PEGGING A SALARY AS A STARTER.
THE TENSION FOR A JOB IS SO STRONG AND SICKENING.
THANKS ALL THE SAME FOR THE ARTICLE.
Not a bad article, i really appreciate its level of diplomacy. But in a competitive environment like this is, negotiation is a luxury first entries can’t afford!