A lot of people have been asking me this same question for more than I could remember. How much salary adjustment should I ask for in my next job? 20%? 30%? 40%? or even 80%?
My answer is “It depends“. Yes, it really depends on your experience and few conditions but always remember not to ask for too much. Never ever overestimate yourselves.
All human beings are greedy by nature. It is natural for us to ask for more when it comes to monetary stuff. Nearly everyone I know is not satisfied with their current salary, regardless of how high their actual salary is. And out of 10 jobseekers I know, only about 5 or 6 got their requested salary….yet, nearly all of them will feel they should’ve asked for more. This is human nature – greedy.
When you are leaving your company for a new job, there will only be few reasons as to why you are leaving your current job – for better pay, better opportunities, better job prospect, or you cannot stand your current job. In the end, most of the reasons will end up with one thing – money. So it’s quite normal for anyone to ask for a better pay in the new job….but the question is how much adjustment should we ask for?
If you’re a fresh graduate or someone who has only about 1 year of experience in the field related to your next job, you can ask for 10-20% increment. If you are lucky, you might get 30+ % increment…but nothing more than that. Don’t ever try to ask for 40% or more because your interviewer will think you work only for money and you’re way over your head (too much confidence can be a bad thing). Some fresh graduates actually told me how good they are in their job, and at the same time demanded (or in a more polite term, requested) more than 40% adjustment from their current pay. I can only tell them that they’re way too confident. They will only be given that much (by their employers, not me) after they have proven themselves (after probation period).
If you have more than 3 years of related working experience, you can ask for more but still falls within the 20-40% range. Not many companies will give you anything more than that especially when you are not proven. If the company is desperately looking for someone like you, then you’re lucky. You might actually get an adjustment of more than 40%.
In the end, it’s the problem of striking the balance – to understand how much you worth….without getting over your head. π Just try to aim for an adjustment of 30-40%……and rest assure that your future employers will bargain with you. Hahhaa, that will happen EVERYTIME ! Unless you are in the right place, right time…then who knows, maybe the employer will even increase your requested 30% to 50% !
All the best in your negotiation !
10 comments
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May 2, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Dmitri
How do you know that the graduates are requesting a 40% pay raise? Their currently salary is confidential, you cannot just ask it in their job interview or ask their former employer. I know to avoid the ‘what do you earn right now’ issue like the plague, because it can easily result in discrimination lawsuits and whatnot.
May 2, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Alvin
Dmitri, it’s a bit different in Malaysia. Some employers will actually ask you to state your current and expected salary before calling you for an interview. Some people (like myself) chose not to say anything about it until I attend the interview itself.
Graduates? Well, they came to me and asked me for advice. I won’t need to know the exact figure. They just asked me how much % of adjustment should they ask for. π And based on my experience, it should be around 20-30%.
May 2, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Dmitri
If I were asked how much I earn, I’d not want to work for that company – it means they are not too concerned with business ethics. I prefer to be judged on merit, not as a measure relative to my previous salary. Otherwise, moving countries could get very confusing!
May 2, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Alvin
lol, Dmitri, no matter how much I agree with your words, it just doesn’t apply in most Asian countries especially Malaysia. Just browse around our Jobstreet or Jobsdb, and you will see that more than 50% of the companies will ask for your current salary before they actually look at you.
Too expensive? Forget it. They will just look at other candidates who are cheaper. π After all, most of them are not looking for someone “good”, they are just looking for someone “cheap” and can follow orders. π
August 18, 2009 at 11:16 am
Bayu
I agree with what Dimitri says. I also always value myself based on merit.
But unfortunately, as Alvin says, in Asian countries they always ask for our current salary and how much do we expected from the new employer.
I don’t like this situation too, but that’s the fact of life here π¦
So to be success and get the suitable salary, here we have to jump around to get step by step salary increases.
π¦
November 2, 2012 at 9:12 am
Roosevelt
Ahaa, its fastidious dialogue on the topic of this post
at this place at this web site, I have read all that, so at this time me also
commenting here.
March 1, 2013 at 11:14 am
Loudrin Lim
Can ask for a question?
How can we get a good job if you are fresh graduate student because commonly, we the graduates still don’t have the enough skills or experience that a certain company requires for us to have….
how does a certain employee can get this Salary Adjustment?
March 1, 2013 at 11:16 am
Loudrin Lim
π
March 30, 2013 at 6:40 pm
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October 6, 2014 at 5:43 pm
New Job Adjustment Period | New Job Today
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