Negotiating the Offer

We all know it. Salary is one of the most important factors when it comes to our job search. We all work for a living and whilst we’re working, we might as well get paid as much as we can, right?

Sure. But let’s examine this sensitive yet important topic in greater detail and discuss some of the better ways of approaching this delicate subject.

There are many factors that come into play when determining someone’s salary including:

•  •    your current salary and salary history,

•  •    the company’s internal benchmarks,

•  •    general “market rates,”

•  •    the level of competition, and

•  •    how much value the manager thinks you will add to the team.

 

• Having said that, most people won't leave their current jobs for a lesser salary unless there are some compelling reasons to do so such as increased responsibilities, new challenges, the chance to learn a new business, the opportunity to lead a team and what have you. The reasons for people leaving their jobs  are as varied as the individuals themselves.

Generally speaking, most candidates can expect a decent raise, or at least a lateral, unless they’re already making something that is well above “market rates.” In our experience, raises range anyway from 0-5% on the low end and up to 30%+ on the high-end.

However, exceptions occur. The Law of Big Numbers apply here: the more you make, the harder it is to get a big increase percentage wise. The less you earn, the easier it is to get a bigger increase in percentage terms. For example, we’ve seen situations where candidates who were paid “local” Hong Kong wages receiving 100%+ increases by being brought up to “international” standards. But again, these are exceptions and not the rule.