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Negotiating A Salary:
Going for an interview can be daunting enough without the thought of having to negotiate a salary. As some positions state negotiable or neg. under the salary column in job adverts, this is exactly what some jobseekers face at an interview.
What exactly can you do if you are one of these jobseekers?
Research
Research the average salary for the teaching position you are being interviewed for, this can be done in several ways:
Performing a job search on a niche jobs board.
Using an online salary checker.
Ask people working in the same role what they are currently earning
It is also worth remembering that a number of factors can determine your salary including:
The location you are seeking work in (wages in London will be considerably higher than those further north)
The amount of experience you have
Your age
Ensure you do in depth research, taking all of the above factors into consideration before you decide what salary you would settle for.
“Set the Bar”
As many things will be going on at the interview, it is worth establishing the minimum salary you would accept before attending the interview. If you are currently in employment, the figure should be noticeable higher than your current wage. It should also be enough to cover all of your expenses, such as petrol money etc.
Target Salary
The general consensus is that this should be about 10-15% higher than the minimum you would accept. You may even wish to try for 20-25%, however this could prove to be costly & you may ‘price yourself out’ of the position.
Whether you opt for 10, 15, 20 or 25% increase on your lowest salary; you will buy yourself some room for negotiation. In the best case scenario this should mean you end up with a higher salary than the minimum you would be willing to accept!
Employer Factors
You should also try to consider how well the employer is fairing. If the school is struggling they may not be able to justify your request for a pay rise. If this is a new job you are going for, the company is hiring which is generally a sign that they are on a sound financial footing.
Are you worth it?
This is a question you will have to consider seriously before enquiring about a pay rise. As you’re going to be asking for more money, it is likely the employer is going to be asking questions such as What have you contributed to the school?
You will need to think about all the positive impacts you have made at the schools, and use these to justify your request for a pay rise.
Once you have considered all of the above factors, there is only one thing left to do:
Bite the bullet & ask your employer for that pay rise!