THE TRANSITION

 

The Most Important Skills

You Must Learn

In Order to Succeed In the Civilian World

 

(Part 2)

 

 

How to negotiate salary and benefits packages

 

 

Last week in part one of our Transition Series we discussed how to begin major changes in your life after you leave the military.  Military life is different from the way things are done in the civilian world, so if you want to succeed and do well for yourself in the civilian world you need to prepare yourself ahead of time.  These articles are to help you understand the transition process, give you guidance and offer helpful tips and advice to get you on your way to living a happy and successful life in the civilian world.

 

In the military your salary and benefits are decided by Congress. While there may be debates on Capitol Hill, few military members are directly involved in the process. What is decided for one military personnel is decided for all military personnel.

 

You always know exactly what amount your paycheck will be and what your benefits are. Pay raises are based on pay grade and time you put in the service.

 

Benefits such as medical and dental care, life insurance, housing, travel expenses, and recreation facilities are provided as part of the military employment ‘package’.

 

Before you go into civilian salary negotiations, you should be very clear on what your minimum requirement is to preserve your lifestyle. You will never mention this amount, but it helps to know where that bottom line is. You should also have thought about which benefits are important to you and which ones are deal-breakers. Things such as health care, 401K plans, continuing education cost reimbursement, childcare, vacation days, and professional association dues paid.

 

Know the range for compensation of the position you are seeking and which elements of the benefits package are modifiable. There are many books available on negotiating salary. Take time to read one or two of them. Become familiar with the language and flow of the process. Successful negotiators have done their homework.

 

Learning the subtle art of negotiating salary and benefits is critical. Once you accept your first civilian position, all future salary and benefits packages will be negotiated using your initial package as a starting point. Regardless of whether or not you change companies, you will never be able to reset that initial number. It is vital that you learn how to negotiate your best deal the first time. Your future earnings depend on it.

 

Below are some helpful tips to get you on your way to the road of success.

 

 

1. Ask for salary you want. Every now and then, getting what you want can be easier than you think.  How, you ask? Just by simply asking for it! Even if you do not get everything you are hoping for, if you fail to ask for anything, you will probably get less than you deserve.  No doubt.

 

1. Negotiate right away. Begin negotiating from the very beginning of your employment. Consider this a strategic conversation among collaborators, not a dueling match between adversaries. If you are interviewing for a new job, make your salary objectives clear upfront.

 

1. Let them know that you are serious about the salary you deserve. Develop a habit never to accept the first figure a prospective employer offers. If the salary is significantly lower than what you mentioned in a previous conversation, state that while you are interested in the position, the salary that you first named is more in line with your objectives. You should also ask if there is a signing bonus. If the answer is no, request a performance review in six months.

 

1. Make sure you get everything in writing. Whether you are a consultant working on a short-term project or a new employee hoping to launch a lifelong career with the company, get all salary and compensation agreements in writing. If the employer refuses to put the agreement in writing, you are taking your chances.

 

1. Make yourself look beyond the norm. If you want a raise or increased benefits, work hard to go beyond your performance objectives. Do not wait to be handed assignments. Instead, seek out opportunities to grow in your career. An exceptional employee is in a prime position to negotiate.

 

1. Explain to the person conducting the interview how having you on their team will foster the success of your team. In most companies, the more employees you oversee, the higher your salary ranges. It is understood that your level of success is often dependent upon the success of the people you manage. Take the time to cultivate the talents and abilities of those reporting to you.

 

1. Determine the job’s importance. Maybe you are working a second or third shift, or maybe you are expected to perform tasks under dangerous circumstances, such as handling chemicals. Jobs that fall into these categories deserve to have a higher pay rate — ask for it.

 

1. Make sure you boost about all the extra experience you obtained in the military. Usually, more experience results in higher pay and benefits. If your experience exceeds what is required for your position, make sure to emphasize this. The same applies for education, when it is relevant. Additionally, if you have received certifications or extended professional training in your field, you should expect to earn more because of it.

 

1. Look at the big picture. Comprehend that negotiation is a simple fact of business life. The higher you advance in your career, the more important strong bargaining skills become. This can include more than just salary demands; it can also mean asking for key assignments that position you for your next promotion and even more earning power.

 

1. Do not limit yourself to just the salary. Instead of a salary increase, you may wish to negotiate other benefits that are more important to you, such as flexibility in your schedule or the option to telecommute on certain days. Decide what you really want from your employer and include it in your negotiations.

 

In our next article, I will provide you some helpful tools to help you How to research a company prior to a job interview.