How to Keep Your Head Cool in Salary Negotiations


When it comes to negotiating your own salary, it can be difficult to keep your head cool, calm, and collected. After all, a negotiation isn't really a fight but it is contentious and it can be complicated, especially when it comes down to pointing out to the boss what you want, and what you feel that you deserve.


A blog page

With that, then, it's critical that you keep your head cool, and stay calm and composed during salary negotiations in the office. You surely won't get what you want if you explode, so how do you make it so that you get what you want and you are adequately successful in negotiating your own salary while staying cool? Here are just a few major things to consider:


Breathe, Breathe, Breathe!

First and foremost, keep your head cool by remaining calm! Breathe, take deep breaths, and make it a point to remain measured and composed no matter what happens, at least physiologically. If you can control your breathing rate and your heart rate, you can likely control your head and remain cool, no matter how contentious salary negotiations may become.


Have a Plan Before You Start

One way to stay cool is to have a plan before you start negotiating. Know what you want, figure out how you are going to get there, and determine a course of action when it comes to success. At that point, you can see a pathway to success, and it means its less likely for you to get heated when things don't quite go like you had planned.


Take A Break If You Need

Walk out of the room, or break up the negotiations into smaller meetings, that are shorter and less intense, if you need to remain calm. There's no need to sit with your boss or other employees for hours at a time if it will just make you more and more angry; break up negotiations and make it a smaller event to keep your head cool and to keep you remaining calm.


Professionalism Means Success

At the end of the day, you are more likely to get the salary you want and succeed in your negotiations if you are professional. Professionalism means success, after all and that means being cool, calm, composed, and nice to your bosses and superiors. Getting a hot head, getting mad, and going over the top with anger won't get you what you want. In fact, it can back fire on you, and anger can ensure that you not only don't get the salary that you feel that you deserve, but that you may actually be fired or removed in the long term due to your behaviour.


For all those reasons, make sure that you make it a point to keep your head calm and cool during salary negotiations. When you do remain calm and cool, too, you may be surprised at just what you can get, and exactly what you can accomplish. After all, remaining calm and professional can get you the salary that you've always dreamed of, and in time, it will get you much more than that, too!

 

Emolument provides bonus and salary statistics based on data submitted directly by professionals like you. It is free, anonymous, and already a trusted tool for thousands of professionals worldwide. Are you paid enough? Click here to find out now.


Are you an employer?

Hire and retain the best talent with accurate and reliable data

Benchmark Your Teams

 


Know what you're worth

Compare your compensation with peers in your industry

 





Back to Top