We are in an era where coders are kings.
With so many advances in the tech field – and your services in high demand – it’s possible you’ll find yourself moving jobs sometime in the near future. Whether it’s a promotion within your current company, or a step into a new organisation, you’ll eventually have to navigate that very important job offer.
And you’ll need some negotiating skills to do so.
We’ve put together some tips to help you get that dream tech role AND the offer you want.

1. School yourself in the market ‘going rate’

Trying to negotiate without knowing the market rate is like trying to code blindfolded (and if you can do that, we definitely want to hear from you!)
If you can’t (like the rest of us) it’s important that you’re fully up to speed on what other people in your field are getting paid. Here’s a few ways you can learn the market rates:

• Research online – There’s plenty of websites that specialise in salary guides for the Aussie IT scene. Check out our guide to IT’s 6 most in-demand roles and their salaries here or jump on Google.
• Do some recon with colleagues and peers – Speak to other friends or peers in similar jobs to find out how much they make. If that’s too upfront for you, try asking these questions:

“Based on your experience, would you say $xxx is a reasonable salary expectation in our field? If not, what would be?”
OR
“I’m job hunting and trying to get a feel of what the going rates are in our market. Do you have any tips on salary ranges?”

• Ask us – With over 20 years’ of recruitment experience, we’ve learnt a thing or two about tech salaries! Feel free to use us for our intel.
• Make sure you compare apples with apples – When researching, both online and in-person, ensure the position is comparable to yours. Think skillset, experience level and location.

2. Know your worth

Now you’ve got the market rate figured out, you’ve got to factor in your market value. It’s made up of many things – your experience, your education and your past performance. If you have a niche skillset, or experience in ‘hot’ IT areas such as these, all the better. Use that as leverage to negotiate.
Once you’ve established your worth skills and experience-wise, you should be able to clearly demonstrate it to those holding the offer. The more you value you can show them, the more negotiating room you have.

3. Know what you want

So now you’ve got some concrete salary figures in mind. But don’t forget – it’s not all about the money. There are other things you can include in your total compensation package.
Consider:

• Training/personal development budget
• Flexible hours or work-from-home option
• Potential to upskill on-the-job (i.e. learn new languages)
• Bonuses – yearly, per project etc. (ok, that is a money one!)
• Travel costs
• Extra holiday entitlements
• Timing for next annual review and raise
• Company share options

4. Practice makes perfect

Before you get to the negotiating stage, you need to:

1. Arm yourself with your facts and figures gleaned from the tips above
2. Practise your spiel about why you’re worth what you’re asking for until you feel confident
3. Video yourself and watch it back
4. Role play with a friend or family member and ask for feedback

5. Negotiation Time

When it comes to negotiating time:
1. Express gratitude
Thank them for the offer, saying you’ve given it lots of consideration but the package you’re after looks slightly different.
2. Present your case and then keep calm and be silent
Don’t be tempted to jump in after you’ve stated your counteroffer, even if there’s crickets chirping in the room. Be quiet and let other party mull over what you’ve presented.
3. Multiple offers
If you have another offer, let them know but don’t go into details, just say “I do have another offer I’m considering alongside yours.”
4. Take your time
If you feel rushed into a making a decision, ask for another day or two to mull over the counteroffer. You’re well within your rights to do so.
So those are a few tips to help you negotiate if you have an offer (or more) on the table. Should you need more, feel free to get in touch as we have plenty.

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