Who initiates the salary negotiation process?
The protocol is that the job seeker should wait until the hiring manager makes an offer before discussing salary in any detail. Any in-depth conversation about salary prior to an offer is simply premature. Once an offer is on the table, the job seeker then has bargaining power. The job seeker knows the company wants him or her at that point. Then there’s the issue of asking for a raise. How do you know if it’s appropriate to ask for a raise? My suggestion to employees is to take a long, hard look at the company’s economic health before asking for a raise. If you ask for a raise when the company is clearly struggling, not only will you not get the raise, but you will also raise doubts in the employer’s mind about your professional savvy. On the other hand, if the company is doing well, and you can show how your efforts have contributed to the bottom line, then this is an excellent time to ask for the raise even though the country is in an economic downturn. Before talking to the boss ab
