What to Do When a Salary Negotiation Goes South

What to Do When a Salary Negotiation Goes SouthWhat to Do When a Salary Negotiation Goes South6You probably already know that its smart to negotiate for your salary when starting a new job, and you might even have researched what some of the best ways are to actually negotiate for that salary and the best time and place to do so,but what about when a perfectly prepared for salary negotiation goes south?Believe it or not, it happens, and its a good idea to have some thoughts on what to do next, should it ever happen to you.Heres what to do when a salary negotiation goes southPrep for a no response.Just by reading this article, youre taking a good first step in the right direction. The most important thing to do when it comes to salary negotiations (other than being prepared for the negotiation itself) is to consider the fact that your would-be employer might not be willing to budge when it comes to money. Keeping this in mind from the start will stop you from being (and acting) shocke d when/if it should ever happen to you.Get all the facts.Employers reject salary requests for many reasons, so assuming you didnt ask for a crazy amount more than they were originally offering, it never hurts to ask why the answer was no. This will help you understand where your fhigkeit new boss is coming from, while also letting your interviewers know that you dont just take no for an answer. Being polite and tactful here will be of the utmost importance, of course.Consider the whole picture.Assuming the hiring manager was open and candid with you about why she wont budge on your salary, its worth considering the overall health of the company based on her answer, if at all possible. If you had heard rumblings that the company already wasnt doing so well and then even a small, well-warranted budge in salary seems to throw them way off, you might want to re-think taking a job at a place that seems unstable. A no to a small budge in salary now might mean troubles for future raises do wn the road, as well.Weigh your options.Of course turning down the job altogether is always an option, but unless the salary they are offering is way out of your range (which is likely something that would have been discussed before you even applied for the job), thats not the best route to take. If you really wanted this job and the salary they are offering is something you actually could live with, it might be worth suggesting some alternatives to a salary boost that will still make you happy. For example, perhaps you can negotiate for more vacation days, a flexible or work-from-home schedule, or company-paid classes to further your education and training.At the end of the day, only you can decide whats right for you- both personally and financially- after a salary negotiation goes awry. If youre at least prepared for the vermgen of a letdown during negotiations, though, you can be smart about how you proceed afterwards.