Salary Negotiation for Graduate Role

dashdoll

Hi all,

Have a question which I would love some advice on if anyone has any.

Have been doing a number of interviews lately and I am currently close to being offered a position subject to reference checks.

Now during the interview, I was asked straight out what my salary expectations were and what my current salary is. I was a bit taken aback and basically said market rate and what I am currently on but that it would need to be higher than that given that I would be relocating to Dublin etc

Now Im wondering if that is the negotiation done and dusted or am I likely to be told a figure (if I do get the job!) Would it be cheeky for me to turn around and ask then if the figure of X is negotiable? It is a graduate role but I do have experience albeit not a huge amount in the area. Also, it isn a graduate programme involving exams/leading to a professional qualification etc but is a permanent role for a grad.

All opinions welcomed on this, I dont want to appear cheeky or cocky but I really dont want to settle for less than I can get either

Bringbackrafa

Hi dashdoll. I am applying for a lot of grad roles too so this thread will be of great help to me. I Personally think its about time people were ambitious when asked what their expected salary is. It shows the company you are not a mug who is afraid to speak up. If companies however don't like individuals who speak up about a high expected salary then throw in that you have a lot of costs and explain your situation and they will understand

walshc54

The average starting salary for a graduate is currently 25k. Just say you expect a slightly higher salary than that given your experience. Don't forget to mention any perks you currently have, pension, health cover etc. If they offer you something lower than you hoped just tell them you feel the package is a little light on the salary side and if it's possible to negotiate.

It's important to bear in mind that if they offer you the role it means they want you and not someone else, hence you are in a possition to make small demands.

dashdoll

Thanks for the advice people I know what you mean about saying that you are the person they want so you can make demands but at the same time, Im sure there are others willing to do it for less/people that dont have rent to pay etc!

Tricky to find the balance.

Anyway, havent heard anything today, only passed on details of my references yesterday so Im either after getting bad references :O or else I wont hear until next week.

Also, worth a mention that with this particular company, I did the interview and heard nothing for two weeks so I emailed very politely looking for any feedback thinking I was unsuccessful..it was only after this that I received a call from them saying they wanted me for the role pending references.

RATM

While not advocating that a graduate should settle for a low salary I would also exercise caution here. Some employers might take an affront at you going back and asking them for an extra €1k or so. You most likely won't be the only candidate they had in mind in the final round and they will have back up options to call on, especially at graduate level.

If there is something on your CV that completely separates you from the field i.e. more than just a Masters/Bachelors and some bar/restaurant part time work then you might have a certain room for manoeuvre.

But do bear in mind these points- if you got offered €25k and then went back and asked for €1k extra (a 4% increase, it translates to an extra €20 per week) you might set off a chain of events that is out of your control. Because at some level of the organisation someone might have decided that they're paying grads €25k and no more. So HR will either decide to ask the Director of Finance if they'll open the purse strings and give you extra to what the company has already agreed. The Director of Finance could be having a tight budgetary month and decide that they won't pay out any more. Or it could be that HR know he will deny the request in the first place and they won't even bother asking, instead going back to you to either rescind the job offer or to say 'take it or leave it'.

Finally don't forget that employers pay your PRSI to Revenue on top of your salary which is an extra 10.75%. So a €25k salary to you is a payout to them of just under €28k.

I'm not saying not to do it OP but do consider all of the above before you do. In my personal opinion graduates are in a much better position to negotiate salaries upwards after they have gotten that initial 1-2 years experience, not before. An employer is taking a much larger risk on a graduate with little or no experience and whose abilities are unproven in the work place and this might influence their decision in deciding to pay a certain rate and no more.

C.D.

I agree with RATM. Having a track record of being able to delivre puts you in a much better position. If you are looking for a pay rise in your organisation after a few years you'll also need to understand the politics behind the process and exploit them.

At graduate level, A lot of it down to personal circumstance:

• 
  
• What sector are you in?
  
• Is the role difficult to recruit for?
  
• What "tier" are the company looking to recruit? Top tier talent? Second tier? If they are looking to recruit the best graduates then they need to pay well and it's likely that you wouldn't be the only one negotiating salary.
  
• Do you have anything that sets you apart? Awards, exceptional experience?