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In episode 2 of “The JoyPowered™ Workspace Podcast,” JoDee and Susan discuss how to negotiate salary from either side of the negotiation, where to find data to understand market value, and the reality of the gender pay gap.

Before you even accept a position, you should be thinking about negotiating salary. Do your research to find out the market value for the position; companies are often hesitant to share their salary range because they want the best value they can get. You can ask people who work for the company, or you can do research on these websites with self-reported information about salary ranges:

• Payscale.com
• Glassdoor.com
• Salary.com

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network can also be helpful – it explains the knowledge, skills, abilities you need, and average salary for a position nationally and by state.

When you’ve done your research, follow these steps for negotiating:

1. Track your accomplishments. Make note of major contributions.
2. Think about your target salary. Do some research and self-assessment.
3. Practice. Have someone pretend to be the boss and raise objections.
4. Figure out the timing and prepare your boss. Are there better times to talk to them, maybe a less busy time of the week or month? When you talk to them, make sure you tell them you’d like to talk about your salary.

Be careful when you’re negotiating. Make sure you understand the role and the market value, and know what you’re going to say. If you’ve done your homework and you use the right tone, you’ll be fine.

Salary discussions can cause concern in certain situations; they may be one reason behind the gender pay gap. Women are less likely to negotiate salary from the beginning; if you feel your salary should be higher, have the confidence to look your boss in the eye and say, “I think I’m worth more.” Another tricky situation is employees discussing their salaries; there’s no rule or law that says they can’t do it, and the NLRB has come out very strongly in favor of their right to do so. Make sure you know your pay philosophy and that you’re paying people fairly, and it shouldn’t be a problem.

At the end of the episode, JoDee and Susan answer questions from listeners Frank and Laura about how to answer when recruiters want to know your salary expectations and whether you should email, call, or meet in person to negotiate salary. They also talk about the 2017 decrease in the standard mileage reimbursement rate.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Purple Ink, the HR consulting firm JoDee owns
• Susan Tinder White Consulting, the HR consulting firm Susan owns
• JoyPowered, JoDee’s book
• StrengthsFinder, an assessment that JoDee and Susan promote
• The November 2016 issue of SHRM’s HR Magazine, which says that salaries have decreased 3.1% on average since 2008