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• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Ask about the starting salary
• Method 2 of 2: Ask for a higher starting salary

If you've applied for or been offered a job, you may feel excited but also nervous. It's time to talk about salary, which is something that many people find uncomfortable. The good news is that you can now conduct these negotiations by email in many situations, which can be much less intimidating. With a few simple strategies and phrases, you can effectively and professionally discuss your salary by email.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Ask about the starting salary

1. Research salaries in the professional field. Before you ask about the starting salary of a job, you should first learn what the average salary is in the work field. This way you can immediately see whether the company you are interested in offers a low salary.
   • Websites like Glassdoor and Payscale have a lot of data on salaries of different companies and industries. You can check these websites to find salary levels of jobs similar to those you are interested in.
   • You can also ask friends and colleagues who work in the same field if they feel comfortable sharing their salary information with you.
2. Determine your personal salary range. It is important to know what your ideal salary is and what your minimum acceptable salary is before you know the starting salary for the job. If the starting salary doesn't meet your minimum standard, you probably shouldn't continue the application process for this particular job.
   • They may ask you what your target salary is before sharing the starting salary, which is another good reason to start thinking about your salary range.
   • Research helps you determine your salary range. You can check websites like Glassdoor and Payscale again to get an idea of ​​what professionals with similar experience and education to you deserve in your field and area.
   • Special skills, such as knowledge of specific computer programs, years of work experience, and levels of education, for example with a college degree, can make you a sought-after candidate and help you earn a salary higher than the average in your field.
3. Determine the starting salary. If the starting salary isn't advertised, you don't necessarily have to ask what it is before deciding whether or not you like the job. You can interview first. However, do not accept a second interview until you know what the starting salary is.
   • While it would be helpful for the salary range to be stated in the job posting, many companies don't disclose it because they are likely hoping to find a candidate who is unaware of their own market value and average salary range in the field, so they have a low be able to offer salary. That is why it is useful to do research before asking about salary.
4. Ask about starting salary by replying to an email, rather than sending a new one. When a recruiter or the hiring manager emails you to ask about your interest in the position or to schedule a second interview if you've already had one, take this opportunity to ask in your response what the salary is . If the company never contacts you, you can assume they are not interested in hiring you, so there is no need to find out the starting salary.
   • Another advantage of asking for salary in an email reply is that you don't have to think about a subject for the email.
5. Start your email with a greeting and end with your signature. You should always treat emails as if they were letters. In your salutation, use the name at the bottom of the previous email, or the name he / she introduced themselves with if you have already met.
6. Be polite but direct when you ask about the starting salary. Show your enthusiasm for the job. If the company has asked if you are interested in the job, thank them for their message, indicate that the job sounds interesting and then write "May I ask what the salary range is?"
   • If the company gets in touch to schedule a second interview, reply to the person who emailed you that you are excited to come back and ask if they are the right person to talk about compensation for this job .
7. Do not feel obliged to disclose your current salary. The company's recruiter or hiring manager may ask you what salary you earn at your current job instead of answering your salary question directly. This is another tactic for keeping your salary low as they hope you will reveal a salary that is lower than the amount they are willing to pay so that they can then offer you the same salary instead of the higher they would otherwise have given.
   • It is unethical and in some cases illegal for a company to request confidential information from candidates, such as current salary. This is a privacy violation.
   • If a recruiter asks about your current salary, answer with the salary range you are targeting in your job search and ask if this position falls within that range.
   • If the company insists that you share your current salary, you should probably let the job go. They are unlikely to be good employers because of their unethical behavior.

Method 2 of 2: Ask for a higher starting salary

1. Negotiate your salary via email to make sure your message is clear. If you've been offered a job offer, now is the time to negotiate your salary before signing. It is acceptable to do this by email if you and your potential employer have previously communicated by email, especially if the job has been offered to you by email. By emailing you have the time to formulate good arguments for your counter offer, without getting stressed and nervous.
   • There are also downsides to negotiating salary via email. Some experts believe that it is better to negotiate in person and that an email can be read as a list of demands rather than a dialogue between employer and employee.
2. Avoid the word "salary" in the subject of your email. Choose a topic that is general, but also lets the recipient know that the message is about the job. You can also add your name and refer to your "thoughts about the offering".
   • Do not use a topic such as "Salary negotiation". This is too rude. You don't want to appear pushy or arrogant.
3. Use an appropriate salutation. Always use a greeting in your email correspondence with your prospective employer, as you would if you were writing a letter. The correct greeting depends on the context of your previous interactions with the recipient.
   • If this communication has been formal so far, start the email with "Dear" followed by "Sir" or "Madam" and the recipient's last name, then a comma and a line break before starting your message.
   • If you are unsure of the gender of your recipient, write "Dear Sir or Madam".
   • If your interactions have been more casual, consider replacing "Dear" with "Dear" and using the recipient's first name.
4. Use a respectful and polite tone. When negotiating your salary, you want to be genuinely grateful for the job offer and enthusiastic about the position. Start your email by thanking the recipient and saying you are excited about this opportunity.
   • Remember to always use complete, grammatically correct sentences and correct your email for typos. You want to convey professionalism. Never use emojis or abbreviations such as "LOL" that you might use in text messages.
5. Be determined but not combative when you make your counter offer. "I'd be more comfortable if we ended up with [x amount]" is a good, neutral way to put it.
   • Don't use phrases like "Are you sure this is the best you can offer?" This gives the company room to simply answer no. When you make a real counter offer, you get the company to respond to that specific amount and it becomes harder for them to say no outright.
   • Don't use an argumentative or intrusive tone. Making a combative, categorical statement like "I will not accept anything less than [x amount]" is not effective.
6. Support your counter offer with research. State the reasons justifying the salary requested in a clear and polite way. Make use of the research you have done on the average salaries in your field, and on people with your background and skills to substantiate your counter offer.
   • For example, after mentioning what qualifications would make you an excellent employee for the company, you can say that the average salary for similar positions in your city based on your research is [x amount], and you want to discuss whether the proposed salary can get closer to that figure.
   • Your salary substantiation should be based on your skills and the average salary range for this position. Don't try to base your reasoning on arguments about how you personally need a higher salary to pay your bills.
7. Close the mail respectfully. End your email with a polite closing such as "Best Regards" followed by a comma and then your signature on the next line. Always use the same ending in all your communications with the company so that there is no confusion. If you used your full name in your signature, keep doing this.
8. Be prepared for a counter offer. Salary negotiations are a back and forth process and can take some time. Stay patient, courteous, and professional. Keep in mind that you may not get the exact salary you ask for, although you don't have to agree to an amount below your minimum acceptable salary.
   • Keep in mind that even if you start negotiating your salary via email, you may need to discuss it over the phone at some point in the process.