The entire negotiation always seems to be asymmetric between employee and employer. What have folks found to be ways to improve this?
Separately, glassdoor salaries (no offense) actually are not respected. Pave, Mercer, Radford benchmarks are what most folks in HR seem to respect but as an employee few have access to this... and sites like levels.fyi make it hard pending on role. How can the data become more transparent? Any tips on this would be helpful
Start a union or join an existing one.
Salaries are determined by how much leverage each party can bring to the negotiation. Alone, and without a very in-demand skillset, employees will always be at a disadvantage. When workers negotiate as a whole, however….
Union-negotiated salaries and benefits set the floor for everyone else. Beyond that, a union job will always be more stable than a non-union place.
That extra pay is both at the discretion of the employer (I.e. will be cut when they no longer need you) and dependent on metrics that you have no control over. Yes, your pay is higher now, but it is very fickle.
If you're a candidate looking to gain more leverage in a negotiation, the key is to show that you're in demand and well-informed. One of the strongest moves is having another offer—or at least being in active conversations with other companies—which signals that you're not dependent on just one opportunity. Doing your homework on salary ranges and company norms helps you speak with confidence and back up your asks. It also helps to highlight your unique value: specific wins, skills, or experiences that make you stand out. And don’t underestimate the power of timing—negotiating when the company is most excited about you, like right after a strong interview, can give you a real edge.
Befriend an HR person who has access to this, ask them to tell you ball park estimates, make sure they’re not directly affiliated with your role / department
Employers will pay you the minimum of what they can get away with. Employees can either take it or leave it. Employers will lose in the end with “you get what you pay for”. Employees will move on from employers who refuse to pay a fair wage or keep up with market rate and inflation. That, in addition to not building up employees to retain them, instead just keeping them down and driving them away. This is what is keeping the employment and recruitment door constantly revolving!
Unless they can justify the higher pay resulting in higher profits it’s actually illegal for a publicly traded company to pay more than the least amount they are able to get away with, because of laws requiring them to do what is in the best interest of their investors
i do think the cards are definitely stacked against employees. but salary transparency, making it illegal to ask a candidate's current salary, have made it a level playing field. we have salary transparency in nyc so all posted jobs have to post what the salary range for the role being advertised is. some places use a narrow band of what they realistically will pay, others will show the full salary band for the level. either way, you definitely get a sense of what the going rate is for that job.
So true. Glassdoor salary estimates have been very wrong for me a few times now. I haven’t found a good way around it other than asking around to friends in the same industry and similar roles
I try to avoid the question altogether until I can get a handle on the responsibilities and expectations.
When asked the question, I usually say, “Although compensation is important, my main concern is to discuss the actual job function, your expectations and how I can use my skills to my enjoyment and your advantage.”
More time to sell yourself.
Then if asked again, I give them a range just for salary- no K.
Be prepared to accept on the lower end if that’s what they offer but usually a decent employer will meet you in the middle.
Helps to already have a job so you have nothing to lose going into the interview, and only accept an offer you are happy with or accept it and continue looking for another job
Onetonline.org. Nationwide and free. Populated by BLS data. You will need to read job descriptions to get the right job title. Many are combined due to required skills. Before you rely on that though, note that employers generally strategize by percentile in terms of hiring. Best to focus on the 50th percentile for a basic idea. Don't get all excited or expect 75th or higher percentile unless your experience, skills and abilities are beyond the expectations for the role. From there compare to Indeed. You'll find it is fairly accurate.