How to Negotiate? New job offer

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Is there a particular method for bargaining over salaries. I'd really like to take this position, but base salary is $5k less a year and to have the same level health insurance I have now- it would cost $300 more a month. So I am actually going to come up about $8-9k less a year.

I've never been good at hard ball and never had to negotiate a salary before. How do I do it professionally? Is email or okay or by phone? I don't even know if a large hospital has much wiggle room to negotiate or if they're on some algorithm.

I've been with my current agency 5 years, and I am pretty secure here, so I can afford to play hard ball a bit. I'm just wanting to go back to the field of nursing I like most (OB).

Please tell me what you know. Thanks!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Don't make this harder than it is. My conversation always goes something like this:

"I am very excited to be offered the position! I need to know if there is flexibility in the offered salary. I really can't make the move for less than $XX.00/hr or $XX,XXX/year"

OR

"I am super excited that you want me to come work for you! Your offer is very close to where I would like to be salary-wise. If you can offer it at $XX.00, we can close this deal today! "

Or some such version. You can do this verbally but you will eventually want it in writing.

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I hear you N.d.y! I am trying not to make it harder than it needs to be. I'm just not the most assertive personality. I'm always afraid to push too hard or come off as annoying. I've got pretty good people-reading skills, but negotiations where I typically fail.

I guess this is a great situation to get some practice in.

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On 6/11/2019 at 4:41 PM, Monkey Nurse said:

Is there a particular method for bargaining over salaries.

This is one of those things i always struggle with no matter how many times i go through it.

Is the job unionized? Union contracts can sometimes be found online, and they give an idea of salary ranges.

Do you know anyone who works there who can give you a range?

Past and current employees of many companies give ranges on those websites that rate employers.

Find out if they offer anything for your degrees and certifications. Some jobs also give extra for each year of experience.

I love the suggestion above that says tell them your figure, but i have never been that bold. I imagine that may be the best strategy in many situations. Wish i had the guts.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I feel for you. I have a hard time with this as well and not with a new employer. I work for a non-union SNF and have never felt comfortable negotiating for a higher raise. I recently found out quite by accident that another nurse with a little less experience than me is making $.50/hr more than I am. I'd love to go in and negotiate another raise but I know saying so and so makes more than me isn't the way to go about it and I'm not quite sure what a good argument would be.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
On ‎6‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 1:49 PM, Monkey Nurse said:

I hear you N.d.y! I am trying not to make it harder than it needs to be. I'm just not the most assertive personality. I'm always afraid to push too hard or come off as annoying. I've got pretty good people-reading skills, but negotiations where I typically fail.

I guess this is a great situation to get some practice in.

Here's the thing to remember - you have all the leverage once the offer comes in. They have invested several weeks in combing through candidates, conducting interviews. Then they decide on the candidate they want and put the wheels in motion to get them on board as soon as possible. This means the idea of starting all over again is far, far less appealing than paying a bit more for you.

Will it annoy them? Probably not. Its normal to counter offer. Stating a desire isn't "pushing too hard". Its advocating for yourself. Its well known in nursing the only way to get a decent raise is to switch jobs, so chances are once you start there you won't get a good raise until you go to the next new job in a few years. So get what you want from the beginning. The way to keep this from being offensive is through being clear on what you need in order to make the move and reiterating that you really want the job. It puts all the balls in their court to bring you on board. Usually it leads to them valuing you more as well.

Good luck.

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