Although the world is experiencing a tumultuous time with the outbreak of COVID19, there are companies that are still hiring! Which is a great reminder that we will definitely get through this, just as those who have gotten through it in the past. So this post is a career focused one, sharing other things to negotiate besides a salary. As someone who has been in the workforce for over 5 years, I’ve come to realize the benefits of benefits outside of a salary. Don’t get me wrong though, ALWAYS negotiate your salary offer with a new job or promotion…ALWAYS! If you’re needing some help in trying to leverage more out of a career position, then keep on reading!
While salary is essentially diamonds in the eyes of an employee, and employer, PAID TIME OFF is gold! Here’s the tea with paid time off: most, if not all, full time salaried workers are given a certain amount of paid vacation days, ranging from 2 weeks to unlimited. But if you’re not on the unlimited plan, you can negotiate to get a few more days added! The best way to approach this would be to compare your current paid time off to what the job offered you, and ask them if they are able to match it (if the offer is lower). This is a fair negotiation, since they already want you. It’s also a fair ask to not want to take a cut to something you’ve gotten used to. Find more info on negotiating vacation time here.
The fact of the matter is, most jobs can now be done remotely. While being in the office has its obvious benefits, so does working from the comfort of your home. If this is something that you care about, ask about a potential work from home day, or two. Before you ask, make sure to research and ask interview questions that could help determine if this is even something that would be possible. If so, then you can present it to the hiring manager once you receive the offer. Read more about negotiating work from home days here.
Right now, it is abundantly clear how important it is to make sure that you are covered in the event of an emergency. If you were to be laid off, at no fault of your own (like, a pandemic), you would want to know that you will be stable for a bit while you transition to a new position. So it’s ok to ask the hiring manager about severance and if that can be included in your contract. Find more info about negotiating severance upfront here.
If your new job requires you to move across the state, or even to a far away city, you can ask about relocation expenses. The caveat is that you may be required to stay at that job for an extended period of time (minimum of 1 to 2 years sometimes). And if you leave before then, you will be required to pay those expenses back. This is not always the case, but something to think about. Find more info on negotiating relocation packages here.
Let’s say you want to go back to school for a degree that will help you do your job even better than you could do it now. You can bring up to the hiring manger if they would consider assisting with the tuition. Similar to the relocation expenses above, this would be something that would likely require you to commit to the job for a longer period of time. But if you’re willing to do so, and have significantly less student loans, then go for it! Read more here on this negotiation tactic.
I hope this post is helpful as you figure out other things to negotiate besides salary. I know it can seem daunting to put your foot down and ask for additional things. Don’t let the mindset of “just be grateful” cheat you out of the opportunity to get some additional perks. You’ll be happy that you did.
Find more career talk here!
Until next time…
