Labor unions are all the rage. In fact, petitions for union representation elections have doubled since 2021, according to <a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/union-petitions-filed-with-nlrb-double-since-fy-2021-up-27-since-fy-2023">data from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)</a>, and for good reason.&nbsp;Who wouldn’t want to be a part of an organized group that supports and protects their rights, fights <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-discrimination">pay discrimination</a>, negotiates on their behalf, and provides top-notch benefits like healthcare coverage and a pension?

They even offer some of the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-trade-jobs">highest-paying trade jobs</a> out there. One of the union electricians we interviewed at the IBEW's International Women's Conference was making a whopping $117.55 an hour in her 5th year of apprenticeship!

⚡How Much Do Female Electricians Make? Real Pay, Real Stories from Women in the IBEW💸

Union jobs aren’t only for blue-collar workers, though. Union workers exist across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, education, technology, entertainment, public service, and more. Several<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-government-jobs"> government jobs</a> also have a strong union presence.Everyone has the right to join or form a union, regardless of whether or not their employer formally recognizes them. The problem is that it can be confusing to know where to start.Key points:<ul><li>More workers are seeking union membership for protections like fair pay, healthcare, pensions, and advocacy against discrimination.</li><li>From skilled trades to healthcare, technology, and public service, unions offer opportunities across a wide variety of industries, with some roles paying over $100/hour.</li><li>Workers have the option to either join a local union, work at a company affiliated with a union, or form a union at their current job.</li><li>Employers can’t legally make unionization threats when workers are attempting to form a union.</li></ul>

&nbsp;<h2>How to Join a Union</h2>There are a few ways to join a union – join a local union chapter or one that fits your profession, form a union at your workplace, or get a job at a company affiliated with a union.The first option involves joining a local union through trade union apprenticeships. This can be done by either going to a local union hall of your choice, depending on the type of work you want to do, or by visiting their website to learn how to submit an application. For example, the <a href="https://www.ibew.org/">International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)</a> union has a total of 831 local chapters in the U.S. and Canada. If you don’t know what local unions are available to you or what union you want to join, Google “local unions in my city”.If you’re an experienced trade worker, it’s possible to bypass the apprenticeship process by contacting a local union and inquiring about journeyman or lateral entry programs.

How Much Do Trade Workers Really Make? Earnings Revealed at LaborFest

If you work in other industries such as healthcare or technology, identify a union that’s right for your profession and speak to a union organizer. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is a great resource to find a union to join using <a href="https://aflcio.org/about-us/our-unions-and-allies/our-affiliated-unions">their list of affiliated unions</a>.The third option is applying directly to companies affiliated with unions. For example, let’s say you aren’t an electrician and don’t want to become one. Maybe you work in IT and think a union wouldn’t fly with most companies in your field, but think again.&nbsp;There are several unions that represent tech workers, such as the<a href="https://cwa-union.org/"> Communication Workers of America (CWA)</a> union, which has a growing presence at big-name tech companies like Google, and the <a href="https://www.ueunion.org/">United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)</a> union.&nbsp;

union gif showing unions, workers, and higher wages as people helping someone up to a higher place

Regardless of what industry you work in, look up unions that represent those in your profession and find a union organizer to help you through the process.<h2>How to Form a Union</h2>If your current job happens to be non-union, you can form one, but you’ll need <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">support from your fellow coworkers</a>. That’s where unionizing starts.There are two ways to go about this. You can either form a union through an NLRB election, or take the voluntary recognition route, which involves asking your employer to recognize the union. These agreements are made outside the NLRB process until the voluntary recognition has been granted. After that, the employer or the union may notify the NLRB Regional Office with their decision.Both routes start with contacting a union organizer. When getting voluntary recognition, you’ll need to get a majority of your coworkers to sign union authorization cards before trying to persuade your employer. When going through the NLRB, you’ll need at least 30% of coworkers to sign union authorization cards before <a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/pages/node-195/nlrb_502rc_2-18.pdf">filing a petition</a> for union election with the NLRB.&nbsp;An NLRB agent will be there to help you through the process by setting up a date, time, and place of the secret ballot election, a voting method in which voters’ identities remain anonymous. Elections can be in-person, by mail, or both. When the union receives the majority of votes, the NLRB then certifies the union as the exclusive collective-bargaining representative.<h2>What about union busting?</h2>Employers may have mixed reactions to their employees’ attempt at unionizing. If your employer decides to fight back through the form of union-busting, there are many workers who have been there and done that. Thankfully, they put together a helpful <a href="https://unionbustingplaybook.com/">union-busting playbook</a> with real stories of how they beat them.The good news is that manager unionization threats <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/nlrb-tosses-40-year-stance-on-manager-unionization-threats">are now illegal!</a> The NLRB ruled in November of 2024 that employers can no longer tell workers that unionizing will harm their relationship with management.

<h2>Next Steps</h2>For those ready to join or form a union, remember to stay informed, be patient, and seek support from experienced union organizers – they’re invaluable guides through the process.Look up union-specific job boards, such as <a href="https://www.unionhiringhall.org/">Union Hiring Hall</a> or on local union chapter websites, and don’t hesitate to contact union representatives to learn more about entry programs or apprenticeships.&nbsp;That wraps it up for this week. Until next time, stay awesome, stay strong, and keep advocating for yourself no matter what! I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer turned writer and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, Business Insider, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub"> Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/"> Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you land a higher-paying job, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more Salary Transparent Street resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore thousands of individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!</li><li>Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!</li></ul>

Green cover image with title text overlay that says "how to join a union or form one yourself) with a graphic of 3 fists in the air

How to Join a Union (or Form One Yourself)

What do you do and how much do you make?&nbsp;People have been asking me the first part of that question ever since I graduated college. However, the second part of that question is still seen as taboo and even “tacky” by many in our society. Salary transparency is here to challenge that idea to create a more equitable world of work.&nbsp;Salary transparency is when a company or individual openly shares their compensation. On a company level, its transparent pay policies that include listing salaries on job listings and publishing salaries internally to employees.&nbsp;On an individual level, it’s people discussing their pay with each other&nbsp; – whether that’s sharing it with friends, family, colleagues, officially within their organization, or online to end the gatekeeping culture around compensation. Because the secrecy around what we make at work only hurts the worker, not the company who’s profiting off of underpaid employees.This is why salary transparency is so important in our ever evolving world of work as we seek to close the gender pay gap – as well as other pay gaps including the racial pay gap, disability pay gap, age pay gap, and LGBTQ+ pay gap – and increase diversity and equal opportunities at work.&nbsp;

<h2>The Rise of Salary Transparency&nbsp;</h2>In the United States, the concept of salary transparency dates back to the early 20th century, when unions began demanding greater transparency around pay and benefits. Unions have historically been strong advocates for salary transparency, as it allows workers to negotiate better wages, benefits, and helps to keep employers accountable.In <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-government-jobs">government and public sector jobs</a>, salary transparency has also been the norm for many years. Many federal and state government agencies are required to make some form of wage information publicly available under laws like the&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/footer/freedom-of-information-act#:~:text=The%20Freedom%20of%20Information%20Act%20(FOIA)%20gives%20any%20person%20the,information%20found%20in%20the%20FOIA.">Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)&nbsp;</a>and state open records law.The private sector however, has just started to build momentum in a growing movement towards greater salary transparency. The rise of the internet, social media, and pages like our very own Salary Transparent Street fuels this rise with growing online communities and access to more transparent salary information.&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2023/03/10/i-found-a-listing-for-my-job-at-a-much-higher-salary-so-i-reapplied/">Employees&nbsp;</a>are now finding out that they were being underpaid at their jobs, including Salary Transparent Street’s founder, Hannah Williams, who found out she was making $20,000 less than her market rate&nbsp;which <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/why-i-started-salary-transparent-street">inspired her to start STS</a>.&nbsp;

Take our free quiz to find out if you're underpaid! 👇

&nbsp;<h2>The Evolution of Pay Transparency Laws</h2>It’s perfectly legal to discuss our pay with each other as employees and employers can’t legally prohibit employees from sharing that information. Remember that the next time you read a company policy that says otherwise.Under Executive Order 11246, employees have the right to discuss their pay with other employees and applicants. It states that an employee “cannot be disciplined, harassed, demoted, terminated, denied employment, or otherwise discriminated against because you exercised this right,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/factsheets/FACT_PayTransparency-Sept16_ENGESQA508c.pdf">U.S. Department of Labor</a>.Congress also passed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act">National Labor Relations Act</a>&nbsp;(NLRA) in 1935 that provides employees at private-sector companies the right to seek better working conditions and representation without the fear of retaliation. However, public-sector employees are excluded, which are any state employees, local and federal government workers, agricultural and domestic workers, independent contractors, and workers who are employed by a parent or spouse. Air and rail carrier employees are covered under the&nbsp;<a href="https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/1647/Railway%20Labor%20Act%20Overview.pdf">Railway Labor Act</a>.Additionally, there are currently 15 states that have enacted salary transparency laws that require disclosure of pay ranges. You can view all of these states and the pay transparency laws for each using our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">Pay Transparency Law Tracker</a>.These states include:&nbsp;<ul><li>California</li><li>Colorado</li><li>Connecticut</li><li>Hawaii</li><li>Illinois</li><li>Maryland</li><li>Massachusetts</li><li>Minnesota</li><li>Nevada</li><li>New Jersey</li><li>New York</li><li>Rhode Island</li><li>Vermont</li><li>Washington</li><li>Washington D.C.</li></ul>The differing laws vary in definition from state to state. For example, Colorado requires employers to include in job listings “a general description of all of the benefits and other compensation to be offered to the hired applicant,” along with the hourly or salary compensation/range for their position. Meanwhile, California requires employers to provide the pay scale in the job posting, but not information about “tangible benefits.”13 other states are now considering <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a>, with legislation being introduced in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Montana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.&nbsp;

Person explaining salary transparency benefits gif

<h2>Benefits of Salary Transparency</h2>Pay transparency has several benefits for both the employee and employer.For instance, it helps to attract and retain talent for companies while improving employees’ job satisfaction, trust, and increasing productivity. It also helps to improve the reputation of companies and builds a culture of openness with profound long-term effects.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/19/ways-hr-is-thinking-about-attracting-and-retaining-gen-z-talent.html">Gen Z candidates</a>&nbsp;now expect transparency, and companies could lose out on top talent by not providing it.&nbsp;Salary transparency encourages fair &amp; equal pay while closing several different pay gaps. The most recent significant impact of salary transparency has been its ability to&nbsp;<a href="https://qz.com/work/2118866/the-pros-and-cons-of-salary-transparency">close the gender pay gap by 45%</a>&nbsp;in transparent organizations, according to a study at the University of Utah’s business school. It's also helpful for folks to land some of the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-jobs-without-a-degree">highest-paying jobs without a college degree</a>.While there are several benefits of salary transparency, it also has its drawbacks. An&nbsp;<a href="https://hbr.org/2022/08/research-the-unintended-consequences-of-pay-transparency">unintended consequence</a>&nbsp;of transparent pay information is that it compresses pay and narrows the pay gap between employees at different levels of an organization or within a specific job category.&nbsp;Wage compression happens in two ways; salaries of lower-paid employees are raised to become more equitable with those of higher-paid employees, or when salaries of higher-paid employees are reduced to become more equitable with those of lower-paid employees. The second case is typically for higher-earning employees who have been historically cisgender white men that’ve out-earned other groups for decades 👀.

Corporate Bro gif with the words E-QUI-TY

<h2>How Companies Can Embrace Salary Transparency&nbsp;</h2>Achieving full salary transparency and pay equity will take more than the efforts of workers to break the stigma around talking about money. Three things have to come together to make this work – community, corporate, and congress. Congress and community are starting to do their part, with partial responsibility now shifting to corporate America.Even though there are no federal laws requiring private employers to disclose compensation information (yet), there are ways they can start embracing salary transparency sooner than later.A few ways corporations can start building equitable policies around pay include:<ul><li>Conducting a pay audit &amp; using data to set salary ranges:&nbsp;A pay analysis can help ensure pay equity internally for employees. This might include an audit on current compensation across organizations and referring to updated market and competitor pay data to compare to and update pay ranges.&nbsp;</li><li>Creating a pay transparency policy:&nbsp;Take into account applicable laws, company culture, and company reputation as you design a pay transparency policy that best fits. Will you need to share pay ranges on job listings and decide how to publish pay data internally to employees? How will you communicate these appropriately both externally and internally? Rolling the policy out in phases may be more beneficial to management than rolling it out all at once.&nbsp;</li><li>Preparing managers:&nbsp;Managers are going to be a big part of how a company communicates pay transparency policies to current and potential employees. This may especially change <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">how negotiations work</a> with management and they may be less able to grant personal requests in negotiations as their salaries and benefits are more standardized per each position.</li><li>Publishing the pay information internally:&nbsp;This is corporate marketing 101. The way that a corporation decides to communicate how they are publishing salary information internally will have an effect on how it’s received by their employees and potential employees.</li><li>Adjusting &amp; adapting:&nbsp;As you build and publish new pay transparency policies, it will take some time to adapt with the varying personalities and opinions on pay transparency within an organization. Keeping an open line of communication with employees and management about the changes and allowing them to feel like they are a part of decisions being made will help create the most successful outcome.</li></ul>

Gif with a person saying pay what you owe me plus 20% for the inconvenience

<h2>Salary Transparency is The Future of Work</h2>Salary transparency is good for both the employer and employee, challenging both to create environments where they can succeed and grow. Now with over half of America enacting and thinking about pay transparency laws, the movement continues to grow.&nbsp;(AD) Do you know if you’re fairly paid?&nbsp;Fill out this&nbsp;<a href="https://payscale.pxf.io/c/3976832/1542560/16772" rel="sponsored">short salary survey</a>&nbsp;from Payscale to get a free salary and benefits report, and learn how you compare in your overall market. You'll also get career path predictions, see companies hiring for your role, and find out what skills can help you get ahead.* Disclaimer * to add at the end: This is an affiliate link, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you click through the link and make a purchase from one of our partners.&nbsp;That wraps it up for this week! I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, a current member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!Need help researching your market rate?? Download our&nbsp;<a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">free Market Research Guide</a>.Subscribe to&nbsp;<a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/629773b2f0870d83de7c7fc7">our weekly newsletter&nbsp;</a>for important recaps on the state of work culture, insightful interviews from successful professionals, and resources to help you navigate and advance in your career.Explore over 5,000+ individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.com&nbsp;

The Importance of Salary Transparency

Salary negotiation can be challenging.&nbsp;For many professionals, the mere thought of entering into a salary negotiation can be daunting. According to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/05/when-negotiating-starting-salaries-most-us-women-and-men-dont-ask-for-higher-pay/">Pew Research Center survey</a>, 60% of people did not negotiate their salary.&nbsp;The fear of sounding too aggressive or the uncertainty of knowing what to say often leads individuals to settle for less than they deserve. Women especially feel this when faced with negotiating and the risk of being seen as “too difficult” to work with due to bias.Even with the rise of <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a> across the US where employers are now required to disclose <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-range">salary ranges</a> for job listings in some states, it’s still important to negotiate your salary and advocate for yourself. Failing to negotiate could cost you millions over your lifetime.In the heat of interviewing and discussing salary with the recruiter or hiring manager, I’ve found having a few scripts ready to go helps to stay confident in those talks.

&nbsp;Key points:<ul><li>Salary negotiation scripts can serve as guides and empower you to navigate the negotiation process with more confidence (which is why we've included 11 of them for different scenarios).</li><li>Compensation is more than just your salary. It includes your benefits too, which should be accounted for when negotiating.</li><li>Negotiating salary over the phone can be overwhelming for some folks. If this is you, use our salary negotiation email template and script that's also included in this guide.</li></ul>

<h2>Should I negotiate by phone or email?</h2>Usually, &nbsp;job offers are presented over a phone call, in person, or during a video call. This is a tactic hiring managers use to create a sense of urgency that you need to accept the offer on the spot.&nbsp;Don’t fall for it.&nbsp;A good rule of thumb when receiving any job offer is to get the official offer in writing and to take at least 24 to 48 hours to review it. Be sure to communicate that timing with the hiring manager too. Next, what do you say?

<h2>Negotiating Salary Over The Phone</h2><a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">Negotiating a salary offer</a> over the phone can be tricky, especially if you don’t know your market rate. Never go into negotiations without a target number (or range) in mind. Our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> can help you with that.Even if you know your market rate, wait to negotiate until you have the offer in writing. You aren’t only negotiating your salary during a job offer, but you're also <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">negotiating benefits</a> like health benefits, sign-on bonus, stock options, vacation time, start date, remote work benefits, etc. These discussions can quickly get in the weeds and are easier to emotionally manage over email.Use the following script for when you receive a job offer over the phone to redirect the offer to your email:“This is great news! Thank you so much for the offer! It was great to meet you and I’m so excited to join the team. Before I can accept, can you please email me the complete offer and compensation package with both the salary and benefit information?” &nbsp;

Jimmy fallon gif of his saying this could've been an email

<h2>Salary Negotiation Email</h2>After you receive the written offer over email, it’s time to start negotiating! You can either review the offer over email and set up a call to discuss. Or, if you get nervous easily on phone calls like that and have a tendency to not advocate for yourself as much in a live interaction, you can reply and start your negotiation over email.Start off by thanking them again and showing your excitement. Depending on what you’re negotiating for, whether it’s a higher salary or better benefits, your reply would look something like this:“Dear [hiring manager’s name],Thank you again so much for the offer and sending all of this over! I am really excited to work with the team but there are a few things I want to discuss before accepting the offer. The salary is much lower than my market rate and salary expectations. Based on my understanding of the role, my experience, skills, and the results I’ve been able to drive in my professional career, I am looking for a salary of between [$X and $X]. What can we do to come to an agreement?I look forward to hearing from you to discuss further,[your name]”You might tweak your reply using any of the salary negotiation scripts below.If they ask you to jump on a call to discuss, keep your points in view during the phone call to stay on track, reinforce your experience, skills, results, and hold your ground. You got this!

<h2>Salary Negotiation Script Structure</h2>A salary negotiation isn’t meant to be a battle, even though they can feel that way sometimes. Instead, they’re a partnership.&nbsp;You aren’t fighting the hiring manager. You’re working with them to come to an agreement that works for the both of you. Keep this in mind when replying to job offers and using any salary negotiation scripts, especially your tone while handling them.The general structure that most salary negotiation scripts use follows a flow.<ol><li>Start with expressing your excitement and thanking the hiring manager or Human Resources associate that made the offer.</li><li>Share something positive about the interview process like how great it was to meet them and the team, and how excited you are to get started.</li><li>State that there are a few things you’d like to discuss and would like to see the entire compensation package with salary and benefits included before accepting the offer.</li><li>Take some time to carefully review the compensation package.</li><li>Counter offer with your expected salary or range and any additional benefits you’d like to negotiate for.</li><li>End with a positive sign off.</li></ol><h2>11 Example Salary Negotiation Scripts</h2>Add the following scripts to your tool box when going into job interviews and negotiations.

Gif of laverne cox saying stick to the script

<h2>When Bringing Up Salary in The Introductory Interview</h2>If the job listing didn’t include what the pay was for the job, you can ask the recruiter about salary in the introductory interview. Disclosure of pay range is actually required in several states such as Washington, California, and Pennsylvania. View our full <a href="https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">map of pay transparency laws</a> across the U.S. to check what’s required in your state.Even if your state doesn’t require that the employer disclose the pay range, you have every right to ask what the pay is for the job you’re interviewing for. The sooner you ask, the better so you aren’t wasting hours of interviews to get the bad news that they don’t have the budget to pay you fairly.The best way is to ask when they prompt with a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/job-interview-questions-and-answers">job interview question</a> like, “Do you have any questions?”. Then respond with something along the lines of “What is the budgeted salary range for this position?”.&nbsp;If they respond with a budget that is too low, use this script:“That’s not within my market rate/the competitive rate for me and my peers. Is your budget flexible?”

<h2>When Asked What Your Salary Expectations Are</h2>If the hiring manager or recruiter asks you what your salary requirements are, use this script:“I’ve done the market research and I have an expected range in mind, but it’s a bit too early in the interview process for me to gauge the full scope of this position. Would you mind please sharing the budget for this role with me?”This exact script helped Salary Transparent Street founder,<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/why-i-started-salary-transparent-street"> Hannah Williams</a>, get a $25,000 raise from $90,000 to $115,000!

michael scott gif of him saying i am declining to speak first

<h2>When The Salary Offer is Too Low</h2>If you receive a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/lowball-job-offer">lowball job offer</a>, reply with this script:“Thank you. This is wonderful news! I enjoyed meeting you and the team, and am beyond excited to work together. Before accepting the offer, I’d like to discuss the salary as it’s much lower than my competitive market rate. Based on my skills and experience, I’d be eager to accept a salary of [$X] for this position and [insert any benefits you’d like to negotiate for].”

giff of someone saying you're not going to insult me with a low ball offer

<h2>When The Written Offer is Lower Than The Verbal Offer</h2>When the written offer doesn’t match the verbal offer, this script will come in handy:“Thank you so much for sending over the written offer and full compensation package! However, I noticed that the salary on the written offer is lower than the verbal offer we discussed on our call, and lower than my market rate. Considering my skills, experience, results, and market salary for this position, I’d be eager to accept a salary of [$X] for this position and [insert any benefits you’d like to negotiate for].”

Brooklyn 99 gif saying uncool, uncool, uncool

<h2>When Providing a Desired Salary Prematurely That Was Too Low</h2>If you’ve disclosed your salary requirements too early in the process and find that your salary needs to increase to match the full scope of the position, use this script:“Thank you for considering my initial desired salary, I genuinely appreciate it. However, as we have progressed further in the interview process and I’ve learned the full scope of the position, I see additional requirements that were not explicitly stated in the job posting (give an example or 2). Considering these changes, I would feel most comfortable accepting a salary between [$X and $X].”

<h2>When Leveraging Job Offers From Other Companies</h2>If you get multiple offers that coincide with each other, leverage those in negotiations with this script:&nbsp;“Thank you. This is great news! I loved meeting the team and am excited to get started on the projects we discussed. Before accepting an offer, I’d like to discuss the salary as it’s much lower than my market rate. I was recently offered a position with another company (indicating if it’s a competitor or not), and am considering my options. Based on their offer, my skills, experience, results, and market salary for this position, I’d be eager to accept a salary of [$X] for this position and [insert any benefits you’d like to negotiate for]. I believe my experience in [x,y,z] can add significant value to the team.”

Gif of alexis from schitt's creek flipping her hair

<h2>How to Counter So They Don’t Rescind Their Offer</h2>Rarely a company might rescind an offer while negotiating. Employers expect people to negotiate and don’t rescind offers just because the potential employee tried to negotiate.&nbsp;However, they might withdraw their offer if the candidate asks for a salary that is unreasonable, has poor communication with the recruiter, or is rude and doesn’t work with the recruiter collaboratively to reach an agreement. There are also other factors that might be out of your control such as budget changes, restructuring the company where the position is no longer available, or going with an internal candidate.&nbsp;<h2>When They Can’t Budge on Salary</h2>

Nadja from what we do in the shadows saying this I know  how to handle

Let’s say you counteroffer and they are unable to budge on the salary. This is when you can try to negotiate for other things like remote work, more vacation time, or a sign-on bonus.Use this script template for negotiating for benefits:“Thank you for that information and I understand there isn’t room to budge on the salary. If the salary can’t be adjusted to accommodate my market rate, I’d be eager to accept the position for [$X] with the ability to work fully remote and an extra 5 days of vacation [or insert any benefits you’d like to negotiate for]. What can we do to make this work for the both of us?”<h2>When The Salary is Not Negotiable</h2>

Sometimes a company may have set compensation packages per level that are not negotiable. They will either tell you at the time of the offer or when you try to negotiate that the offer is non-negotiable since it’s already set in the budget.In this case, you’ll have to decide if you want to accept it or not, or move on.<h2>After Accepting an Offer but Changed Your Mind</h2>If you’ve already accepted the offer but have since changed your mind, don’t worry. It happens.This script will help get through that scenario, as long as you didn’t already sign the job offer:“Thank you so much for chatting with me today about the job offer! I know we recently came to an agreement of [$X] for the salary, however, since accepting the job offer I’ve had some time to dig deeper into the role and the full scope of the position. I am still interested in the position and would be ready to start with everything else we’ve agreed upon, but would like to negotiate the salary and would be eager to move forward with [$X] for the salary. Is this doable?”<h2>When Renegotiating Salary at Your Current Job</h2>

Michael and stanley from the office talking about how to get stanley to stay

When you’ve been at a job for a while but your pay isn’t matching the current role anymore, you have every right to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise">ask for a raise</a> and renegotiate your salary!This script is perfect for negotiating a higher salary and better suited agreement:&nbsp;“Thank you again for taking the time to meet with me today. I’ve been with the company for [X] years now and love the work I do, as well as the team I work with. However, in that time, the scope of the role has changed with additional responsibilities. I’ve been asked to take on responsibilities of a more senior position, in addition to my current position. Before I can fully commit to that, I would like to review my current compensation package and reach a figure that better suits these new responsibilities. Considering industry standards, similar positions recently posted on the company’s website, my experience, skills, &amp; market rate, I believe a salary of [$X] makes the most sense moving forward.”If they can’t budge, ask for an increase in any of your benefits such as more paid time off, flexible working conditions, more parental leave, etc.<h2>Knowing When to Walk Away</h2>Never accept a job offer without negotiating. The worst thing they can say is no and if that happens, you always have the decision to walk away. You can find a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-jobs-without-a-degree">high-paying job</a> elsewhere.Consider your “must-haves” to advocate for with every job offer you negotiate, so you know when it’s time to walk away. Need help determining your market rate so you know when to walk away? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.Alright, that wraps it up for this week! I’m Daniella Flores, a former software engineer turned career researcher who writes about tech, money, and different jobs. My work has been featured in TIME, CNBC, CNET, Business Insider, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) If you want to connect, follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!Explore over 5,000+ individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!Send us an email ➡️ <a href="mailto:hello@checksalaries.com">hello@checksalaries.com</a>

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Salary Negotiation Scripts to Use

The growing competition in the job market is pushing applicants to find any way they can to stand out. There may be hundreds of applicants for a single job, especially for <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-jobs-without-a-degree">higher-paying jobs</a>.<a href="https://www.jobvite.com/blog/recruiting-funnel/">Jobvite</a>, a talent acquisition technology company, found from their customer data that only 8.4% of applicants are called for a job interview. Don’t let that number scare you though! They also found that of those who get called for an interview, 36.2% of them are selected to receive offers.How you prepare for that interview could make or break your chances of getting a job offer. This is why it’s important to research and practice some of the most common job interview questions and answers out there.

What’s your least favorite job interview question? Brooklyn, NY 📍#interviewquestions

Key Points:<ul><li>We’ve gathered these top questions from interviewing those in our community (like the video above), and job sites like Glassdoor and Indeed.</li><li>Not all job interview questions will be the same for everyone. What you’re asked in an interview depends on the role and interviewer.&nbsp;</li><li>These common job interview questions are a mix of what you might get asked from both HR and your hiring manager.</li><li>Most job interviews include general, behavioral, and situational questions.</li><li>The example answers provided are for guidance and should be modified to fit your situation.</li><li>No job interview answer is the absolute right answer. There are several different ways to answer any of these questions. What’s most important is how you convey your experience, expertise, and why you’re the best fit for the job.</li><li>You don’t need to memorize your answers word-for-word but instead practice them with someone to get used to how the conversation may flow.&nbsp;</li><li>It’s recommended to find your market salary range for the position before your interview, so you’re prepared for any salary-related questions.</li><li>Use our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> to get access to thousands of reported salaries and job data from our community.</li></ul>

&nbsp;<h2>Top 10 Most Common Job Interview Questions, Answers, &amp; Examples</h2>What’s the perfect way to land a job? A killer resume, a unignorable <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-write-a-cover-letter">cover letter</a>, and finally, a smooth job interview where the hiring manager falls in love with you (in a professional way).&nbsp;

If only you could read the mind of the interviewer, you would never have to fret over another job interview again. You can dream, can’t you? Well, while you’re dreaming, let’s kick your job interview preparation into high gear.&nbsp;The most common types of job interview questions are standard/traditional questions and behavioral questions. Other popular types are situational questions, competency-based questions, technical questions, and cultural-fit questions.Use this list of the most popular job interview questions and examples of possible answers to help prepare for your next interview.Pro tip: Use this article alongside a free job interview course. We recommend <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/19XoKR" rel="sponsored">this one</a> from Coursera!<h2>1. Can you tell me a bit about yourself?</h2>This is the #1 most common job interview question out there and many job interviews will start with this question. Think of your answer as “the hook” of a good story. 30% of interviewers will make up their minds about a candidate in the first 5 minutes of an interview, according to <a href="https://www.hirevue.com/blog/hiring/the-impact-of-first-impressions-on-hiring-a-data-science-perspective">HireVue</a>. When an interviewer asks you to tell them a little bit about yourself and your background, they don’t mean your entire life story. They want to hear your career story – with a good hook.

Start your story with the early days of your career and education, and add some personal notes from your background so you don’t sound like a job-wanting AI. Include how and why you wanted to pursue the specific career you have. From there, briefly talk about your work experience in ways that mirror what you would do in this job position, making you appear naturally as the best fit for the job.&nbsp;Don’t leave out any of the good details either. Mention your accomplishments and anything else that makes you the obvious choice for the job.Answer example: “Before I had 11 years of IT experience under my belt, I started playing with website development in high school. From there, I knew I wanted to do something in the technology field. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, I started my career with an internship as a web engineer working for a small web development startup company. The expertise learned in these early years set me up for my next positions as a programmer and systems analyst working in both retail and government sectors, learning how to develop for and support custom enterprise systems. That early startup experience mixed with my corporate experience led me to working for a well-known financial technology company as a software engineer, and later was promoted to a lead reliability engineer. I love learning about new technologies and ways to challenge myself as I grow in my career, and make it a priority to invest time into continually building my skills to stay ahead of the curve.”<h2>2. Why are you looking for a new position?</h2>

Be careful with this question! Avoid responding with any sarcasm, such as, “because I need money,” or, “because I need a job”. Sure, the answer to this question is obvious. We all work jobs because we need money, but the interviewer is looking for a specific answer.&nbsp;They may be looking for red flags like if you were recently fired and why. Another possibility is they want to see how committed you are to your career growth. They want to see what motivates you and the respect you have for your current or past roles.Either way, keep it light. You don’t want to end up talking bad about your current or previous employer, nor bring negativity to the overall mood of the interview.Answer example: “I don’t believe I’m being challenged enough in my current role. Although I enjoy working for that company and with my <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">fellow coworkers</a>, I feel like I am getting stagnant in my career. I am looking for other opportunities to grow my expertise and start the next chapter in my career path.”If you’re looking for a new position because you were let go and don’t currently have a job, describe that in a brief way like the following examples show. You may have to tweak these to match your own situation.Answer example: “I was let go from my most recent role due to budget constraints and left on good terms.”Answer example: “I was <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/what-to-do-when-you-get-laid-off">recently laid off </a>from my most recent position due to the company outsourcing my department. I stayed on to help with that transition and left on good terms.”<h2>3. What are your salary expectations?</h2>When asked what your salary expectations are for a job, there is more than one way to answer. It’s also your first step to negotiating your salary by setting those initial expectations. But you can’t set those expectations without knowing your own market salary range.It’s best if you can get the interviewer to provide their budget first but either way, you should have your market rate in your back pocket in case they push for it. This is where our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> come in handy. Use this guide and salary data to help you in your research and see what matches up with your own experience and skill set.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Answer example: “I have an expected range in mind based on my market rate, but it's too early in the interview process for me to gauge the full scope of this position. Would you mind sharing the budget for this role?” – The founder of Salary Transparent Street, Hannah Williams, got a $25,000 <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise">raise</a> from using a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-scripts">salary negotiation script</a> like this!If an interviewer asks for your current or last salary, there are <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a> in 36 states that may get them in trouble.&nbsp;

You can deflect the answer respectfully. Or you can reframe your answer to express your market salary and expectations.&nbsp;Answer example: “Before we discuss salary, can you please tell me more about the role and what it fully entails?”

Highest Salaries We Interviewed In 2023 | Salary Transparent Street Compilation

<h2>4. What professional achievement are you most proud of?</h2>When an interviewer asks this, they don’t only want to know what the achievement was. They also want to know what you did, what the result was for the company, and why it’s the one you’re most proud of. If you don’t cover this in your initial answer, they will most likely follow up with those points.The STAR Interview method is perfect for answering behavioral questions like this. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result and it’s a specific format to help fully convey your contributions.Answer example:Situation: "In my previous role as a marketing manager at ABC Company, we saw declining engagement with our email marketing campaigns, which was impacting our overall sales."Task: "I was tasked with updating our email marketing strategy to increase engagement and drive more sales. The goal was to achieve a 15% increase in open rates and a 10% increase in click-through rates within six months."Action: "I started by analyzing our current email campaigns to identify gaps and areas for improvement. I then segmented our email list based on customer behavior and preferences to ensure more personalized content and redesigned the email templates to be more visually appealing and mobile-friendly. I also implemented A/B testing for subject lines and call-to-action buttons to determine what resonated best with our audience. This was all while working closely with the content team to create relevant content that addressed the needs and interests of our subscribers."Result: "As a result, we saw a significant improvement in our email marketing performance. Our open rates increased by 20%, our click-through rates by 15%, and 20% increase in sales. This also strengthened our relationship with our customers by providing them with more relevant and engaging content."Use this course to help: <a href="https://imp.i384100.net/6y0X1r" rel="sponsored">Accomplishment STAR Techniques for Job Interviews</a><h2>5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?</h2>

For this question, identify one or more of your strengths and weaknesses, and provide clear examples of each. Bonus points if you can provide examples that align with the required skills of the position.The weaknesses you want to mention should be realistic but don’t make you look bad. Don’t mention that you have trouble waking up on time, but do mention a subtle weakness like communication with an example of what you’ve done to improve that skill.Answer example:&nbsp;Strengths: "One of my key strengths is my strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to communicate effectively how to implement solutions based on that troubleshooting data. Communication is one of the most important skills in any role, for a lack of communication can be what deadlocks a project. For example, when I was faced with an enterprise-wide system outage, I had to troubleshoot the issue and find a solution quickly. I also had to communicate my progress in parallel to working on the problem itself, keeping all stakeholders in the loop so they can make sure there is a constant stream of communication also going out to clients. Because of this, the team was able to implement a solution that same day and there was no financial impact.&nbsp;Weaknesses: "An area of weakness I have is my tendency to be overly detail-oriented in my communication to higher-level stakeholders. Adding too much low-level information about an issue can cause misunderstandings and overly complicate things, which has happened to me many times during system outages. To address this, my communication includes simplified high-level detail that goes out to a high-level audience, while still keeping those detailed notes for the technical team and for record. This approach has helped to maintain a better understanding between cross-functional teams.”<h2>6. Can you describe a challenge you've faced at work and how you handled it?</h2>This is another behavioral question perfect for using the STAR method to answer. Describe what the situation was that posed a challenge, what your task and goal was, actions you took, and the end-result from those actions.Answer example:&nbsp;Situation: "In my previous role as a project manager at EFG Company, we were tasked with launching a new product line within a tight deadline of three months."Task: "My responsibility was to coordinate the efforts of the marketing, design, and production teams to ensure we met the launch date without compromising quality."Action: "I started by setting clear milestones and deadlines for each team and implemented weekly progress meetings to track our status. I also introduced a shared project management tool that improved asynchronous communication and collaboration among the team. When we faced delays from the design team, I set up brainstorming sessions to identify solutions and reallocated resources to maintain our timeline."Result: "As a result, we successfully launched the product line on time. The launch led to a 15% increase in quarterly sales and positive feedback from both customers and stakeholders."

<h2>7. Why do you want to work here?</h2>With this question the interviewer wants to see what you know about the company and how much research you did about the role. They also want to know your intentions for working there and if you’re someone that they can rely on to fulfill the requirements of the role.Answer example: “I’ve done a lot of research on the company and have used their software in many of my past jobs. Their values also align well with my own. I think that when you work for a company that you believe in and want to grow with, that adds to your job satisfaction and overall quality of life. When you’re in that type of alignment, your career path can evolve in some amazing ways. I also think this specific role perfectly matches up with my experience, expertise, and my future career goals.”<h2>8. Are there any other companies you’re interviewing with or considering?</h2>Companies want to gauge their applicants job search progress to help with their own hiring process. This is one of those questions that helps them see if there will be any competition for them when hiring you. If you have multiple companies you’re interviewing for or have offers from, feel free to say that you’re keeping your options open. And if you don’t, that’s okay to share too.

Answer example: "Yes, I’m currently exploring a few opportunities with other companies in the industry that align with my career goals and professional interests. However, I am particularly excited about this position with your company because of [specific reasons related to the company, such as its projects, culture, values, etc.].”If you don’t have any others you’re interviewing for, the following example will do.Answer example: “Not yet, since I only recently started applying to a few roles. However, I am particularly excited about this position with your company because of [specific reasons related to the company, such as its projects, culture, values, etc.].”<h2>9. Why should we hire you?</h2>This question is similar to #7, “Why do you want to work here," but focuses more on you rather than what's appealing about the company or role. The interviewer wants to know what you can bring to the company if you were to be hired.Briefly explain how your contributions will add business value to the company. What results do you expect to yield and how will those help advance the company? Your answer will also come in handy when <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiating salary</a>.Answer example: “My specific skill set and experience perfectly aligns with the requirements for this role. I’ve worked as an associate for 3 years, a manager for 4 years, and over the past 2 years I have served as a regional director. I’ve also worked in several different sectors, creating the perfect combination to be able to adapt to different situations and see solutions to problems that others may not. These sort of unique advantages could help the company grow in new ways as I do alongside it.”

<h2>10. Do you have any questions for us?</h2>This is the most fun question to answer! You get to interview the interviewer, find out more about the role that wasn’t discussed, ask about salary expectations if they weren’t discussed, and ask about other things to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">negotiate like benefits</a>.&nbsp;Make sure you have at least one or two questions ready to go for this section of the interview.

Answer examples:<ul><li>Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?</li><li>What are the most immediate projects that need to be addressed?</li><li>How do you measure success in this role?</li><li>What does a typical day look like for someone in this position?</li><li>Can you describe the team I would be working with?</li><li>How would you describe the company culture?</li><li>How does the company support professional development and career growth?</li><li>What opportunities for advancement are available within the company?</li><li>What is the salary range for the position?</li><li>What benefits does the company offer for this role?</li><li>What are the next steps in the interview process?</li><li>Is there any additional information I can provide to assist with the decision-making process?</li><li>Who should I follow up with if I have any further questions?</li></ul><h2>Bonus Interview Questions</h2>The above list of the most common interview questions and answers only scratches the surface. Some interviewers may ask entirely different questions from others, even within the same industry.There are a few additional key questions I’ve seen through years of interviewing for several different roles. These include both behavioral and situational questions.<ul><li>Walk me through the process of how you do X. (X could be anything like “writing an article," “fixing a code defect," “managing a project," etc)</li><li>Tell me about a time you had to deliver on multiple competing priorities. What did you do, and what were the results?</li><li>When do you try to push through and solve a problem on your own, and when do you involve others on your team?</li><li>Describe a situation when you disagreed with someone at work. What did you do, and what was the result?</li></ul>Don’t limit yourself to these questions and also think of a few technical questions they may ask you (especially if you're applying for <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-trade-jobs">trade jobs</a>). A helpful way to think of other possible questions is to look at the job description. From there, you can determine if you need to prepare answers for any additional questions.<h2>Practice With a Partner</h2>You can prepare all the answers to possible job interview questions you want, but don’t get stuck in trying to memorize them all. It’ll be more helpful to practice your answers conversationally with someone else. This way, you won’t sound like a robot and your responses will be more sincere.

You can also use your practice partner as someone to talk about any fears you have. Maybe they can provide a perspective that will help you better navigate the interview.The more you practice, the better you’ll get and the less you’ll dread the day of your interview. Once that day comes around, it will feel more natural and your interview will go much better when you aren’t stuck in your head the whole time.&nbsp;You got this!! We believe in you.Alright, that wraps it up for this week! I’m Daniella Flores, a former software engineer turned career researcher who writes about tech, money, and different jobs. My work has been featured in TIME, CNBC, CNET, Business Insider, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) If you want to connect, follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you improve your negotiation skills, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more Salary Transparent Street resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore over 5,000+ individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!</li><li>Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!</li></ul>

10 Most Common Job Interview Questions and Answers (With Examples)

Got a job offer but think you’re getting lowballed?&nbsp;A lowball salary offer is when a company offers you a job with a salary that is lower than your market rate. This could be because of the company’s budget, misunderstanding your background and experience, or other reasons. But this is NOT the final offer.Many hiring managers will actually offer a lower number in preparation for negotiations. According to research from <a href="https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/salary-guide">Robert Half</a>, 44% of hiring managers say that people today are more likely to negotiate their pay. Make no mistake, they’re expecting a counter offer from you. They expect that number to increase as you <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiate your salary</a>.This is actually one of the reasons <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/why-i-started-salary-transparent-street">Salary Transparent Street was started</a>: to fight for salary transparency and get people paid what they deserve.&nbsp;Think of being lowballed as the first step to negotiating the salary you want. This will prompt you to find your market pay and prepare your response. The last thing we want you to do is accept a subpar salary without doing the market research to make sure you’re getting paid fairly.Before you continue reading, first download our FREE Market Research Guide to find your market salary. You’ll need it later on in the article. 👇

&nbsp;Key points:<ul><li>If the offer is lower than your market rate, lower than your last salary, and has poor benefits, then you might be getting lowballed.</li><li>Never accept the initial salary offer without negotiating, especially when it’s lower than your market rate.</li><li>Use our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> to search for thousands of publicly shared salaries from across the U.S. and apply your findings to your market research.</li></ul><h2>Key Sigs You’re Being Lowballed in a Job Offer</h2>Let’s say your last job paid you an $80,000 a year salary but the job offer you just received for a more senior position is for only $65,000. This is one example of receiving a lowball salary offer.In addition to this example, here are other signs that you might be getting jipped:&nbsp;<ol><li>The offer is below your market salary. If you don’t know your market salary, use our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> to find a range according to your job title, skills, experience, and other factors. This will also be your secret weapon in salary negotiations.</li><li>The job requires senior-level duties with entry-level pay. The offer is lower than your previous role, especially if increased responsibilities are required. You’re looking for a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-jobs-without-a-degree">higher-paying job</a>, so of course, it feels sketchy when you’re offered much less than you expected.</li><li>There is little to no salary transparency. The recruiter or hiring manager avoids transparency or dodges questions about pay ranges and how the offer was determined around pay scales. Thanks to pay transparency laws, they may be required to be transparent upfront, depending on your state. For example, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington are among the 15 states that require salary ranges to be disclosed in job listings or in the introductory interview. See what your state’s <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws are here</a>.</li><li>The benefits are weak. Essential benefits include healthcare coverage, a fair amount of PTO, an employer-sponsored retirement plan, parental leave, disability insurance, and life insurance. But you can negotiate for whatever benefits you want (within reason). <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">Negotiating your benefits</a> is just as important as negotiating your salary.</li><li>There is a pressure to accept quickly. The employer gives you a limited time frame or requires you to accept immediately without giving you time to compare your options or negotiate.</li></ol>

<h2>What to Do If You’ve Been Lowballed</h2>Take your market rate and start putting together your counteroffer. Be sure to also ask about the total compensation package, including the benefits included, so you have all the details before you respond.When crafting your response, start with the high end of your market salary range. Some negotiations may include several back-and-forths, so it’s possible they could try to counter. You want to ask for a higher salary than the one you want, so you have room for further negotiation.&nbsp;We interviewed a financial planning and analysis professional in the video below who did this for their current job that pays $115,000 a year ($130,000 after bonuses).

Keep watching to hear the salary negotiation advice that helped him make more! #salarynegotiation

<h2>How do you politely say the salary is too low?</h2>Don’t immediately respond by saying, “the salary is too low." You don’t want to appear ungrateful and rude. Instead, thank them for the offer and express your excitement for the role.Tell them you need some time to think about it but give them the expected time frame, whether that’s 24 hours or a few days. During this time, put together your script and gather any necessary market data that you might need to present.Example: “Thank you so much for offering me the position! I’d love a little time to review everything carefully. Would it be alright if I got back to you with my response tomorrow?”Pro tip: Use our list of <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-scripts">salary negotiation scripts</a> for more ways to politely respond to their offer.<h2>Example for How to Respond to a Lowball Job Offer</h2>When you get back to the hiring manager, use a simple script like the sample below. Feel free to personalize it to your voice and situation so it sounds more natural.&nbsp;“Thank you so much for the offer! I really enjoyed meeting you and the team, and I’m excited about the chance to contribute here. Before I can accept, I’d like to revisit the salary since it’s lower than the competitive market rate for this role. Based on my experience and skills, I’d be ready to accept the role at [$X], along with [insert any benefits you want to negotiate].”<h2>More Salary Negotiation Tips</h2>Salary offers and discussions can be confusing and a lowball offer can sometimes seem like an insult. But trust me, if you approach the negotiation more as a partnership, those conversations will get easier.&nbsp;The hiring manager wants to come to an agreement with you. They’re the ones who chose you over everyone else they interviewed, so of course they want to do what they can to bring you on. They’re just bracing themselves for the impact. 😉Author note: I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, a current member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you land your dream job, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ <a href="mailto:hello@checksalaries.com">hello@checksalaries.com</a>For more Salary Transparent Resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore thousands of individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Looking for a job? Start your job search on our salary transparent <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/jobs">job board</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Don’t know what you want to do? Take any of our free <a href="https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com/resource-hub/topic/quizzes">career quizzes</a>!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/626ccc8e1e8046b220253e47">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!</li><li>Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!</li></ul>

green cover image with an illustration of 2 workers and a scale with money on it and title text overlay that says "signs you're being lowballed"

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What Are The Signs You're Being Lowballed in a Job Offer?

Thank you to our partner Capitalize for collaborating with us and allowing this resource to come to life.Jobs aren’t quite the same as they were in the 90s. People don’t spend a decade or more at the same job anymore. They experience more <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/what-to-do-when-you-get-laid-off">layoffs</a> and switch employers more often. With frequent job changes, it’s not a surprise that people leave their 401(k)s behind, often forgetting about them completely.&nbsp;Forgotten 401(k)s actually grew to $1.65 trillion in assets during 2021 and 2022, <a href="https://www.hicapitalize.com/?utm_source=STS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=q32023">according to Capitalize</a> which is a free service that helps people claim and rollover their old retirement accounts.

Enter the job hopper. “Job hopping” is a buzzword created online to give name to a phenomenon of when employees spend less than a year at a job before quitting to move to the next one in hopes of <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiating a higher salary</a> and increasing their benefits, flexibility, and experience. It’s also what helped our founder, Hannah Williams, increase her own salary and eventually <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/why-i-started-salary-transparent-street">start Salary Transparent Street</a>. Job hoppers are some of the most affected by forgotten 401(k) accounts and savings.When leaving a job after any amount of time, it’s your responsibility to decide what to do with your old 401(k). Unfortunately, these accounts don’t follow you from job-to-job and the longer you procrastinate dealing with them, the more you could lose out on those hard earned gains on investments, resulting in decreased retirement funds.&nbsp;Let’s dig deeper into how you can roll over your 401(k) after leaving a job and how to recover lost or forgotten 401(k) accounts.Key points:<ul><li>It’s most common to roll over your 401(k) to an IRA account after leaving a job.</li><li>Leaving your 401(k) with your employer could cost a ton in fees and you could lose out on significant gains.&nbsp;</li><li>401(k) rollovers are surprisingly easy and completely free, including lost and forgotten accounts.</li></ul><h2>What is a 401(k) Rollover?</h2>An employer-sponsored 401(k) is a common <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">work benefit</a> at many jobs that allows you to start contributing funds from your paycheck towards your retirement. Oftentimes the employer will match your contributions at a certain percentage, which is essentially free money invested into that account for you. Rolling over your 401(k) account after leaving a job is a process that makes sure you don’t lose this money.401(k) rollovers consist of transferring funds from an employer-sponsored retirement savings account to an individual account or new employer’s 401(k) plan. This financial strategy allows individuals to consolidate their retirement savings, providing greater control, less fees, investment flexibility, and potential for growth. You may actually be able to retire up to 4 years sooner just by reducing your 401(k) fees alone.&nbsp;

Rollovers are especially important for individuals who <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/12/25-year-old-went-from-40k-to-115k-in-3-yearsher-negotiation-trick.html">change jobs frequently</a>, as they enable a seamless transition of retirement funds without incurring taxes or penalties, while also preserving a tax-advantaged status.<h2>401(k) Rollover Options and Rules</h2>When considering a 401(k) rollover, there are several options and rules to keep in mind. If you’re rolling over a traditional 401(k) account, you have the option to transfer those funds into another qualified retirement account, such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), a Roth Individual Retirement Account (Roth IRA) for rolling over Roth 401(k) accounts, or a new employer's 401(k) plan.&nbsp;Rollovers to a traditional IRA or a new employer's traditional 401(k) plan usually have no immediate tax consequences. The same goes for rolling over Roth 401(k) accounts into a Roth IRA. However, if you're moving funds from a traditional 401(k) to a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k), that is considered a Roth conversion and you'll need to pay income taxes on the converted amount.Generally, you have 60 days from the time you receive a distribution from your old 401(k) to complete the rollover if you do an indirect rollover. If you fail to do so, the distribution might be subject to taxes and penalties.

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The rules and options can vary, so it's essential to understand your specific circumstances and consult with professionals who can provide personalized advice based on your financial goals and needs. The professionals at <a href="https://www.hicapitalize.com/?utm_source=STS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=q32023">Capitalize </a>are a great place to start (and it’s completely free).<h2>How to Roll Over Your 401(k)</h2>To start your 401(k) rollover using Capitalize, <a href="https://www.hicapitalize.com/?utm_source=STS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=q32023">select the “Get Started” button on the Capitalize website</a>. From there you’ll be asked to provide a few details about your old retirement account and where you’d like to roll it over.With Capitalize, you can successfully transfer your old retirement account into an IRA that you control, not your old employer. It’s usually most common to rollover your old 401(k) to an IRA instead of a new employer’s plan. IRAs generally come with more flexibility for investment options and less fees than employer-sponsored 401(k) plans.

capitalize screenshot to initiate 401k rollover

If you don’t have any details about your old account, there is an option to select in which Capitalize will find your account for you. This is honestly my favorite Capitalize feature and has helped me find and rollover 3 lost 401(k)s of mine.

Once you locate your old 401(k), choose an IRA that best fits your needs for your rollover. This can be an existing IRA that you have, or a completely new one. If you don’t know where to begin with finding where to open an IRA at, Capitalize will also give you a few of their own suggestions based on what’s most important to you.

After all of the information is submitted, Capitalize takes it from there. Their team will begin processing your rollover, including all paperwork and communicating with your retirement account provider(s). They also don’t miss a beat in making sure the status is promptly communicated back to you, with up-to-date widgets for each rollover that are updated in real-time on the Capitalize dashboard.

capitalize screenshot of old 401k rollover status

Once the process is complete, Capitalize will notify you for any additional action needed on your part and you’re done!

capitalize screenshot of a completed 401k rollover notification

<h2>How Job Hopping Might Actually Help You Save More for Retirement</h2>Job hopping seems like a term that would reflect workers in a negative light. But that’s far from the truth.In today’s context, the term could potentially open up hiring managers to negative bias towards candidates with less than 1 year at a job listed on their resume. Realistically, job hopping represents people standing up for what they deserve and taking action. Their employers would dump them in a second in the name of profits. So, why can’t we do what’s best for our own finances? One of the ways job hoppers do this is by taking advantage of 401(k) matching benefits at each job that helps them to save significantly more, especially when moving to a job that has a better match.Then on top of that, they save more money on fees from making sure they rollover their old 401(k)s to an IRA using <a href="https://www.hicapitalize.com/?utm_source=STS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=q32023">Capitalize</a>, which could potentially help them retire even sooner!If you want to learn more about 401(k) rollovers and how to get started with your own today, check out <a href="https://www.hicapitalize.com/welcome/?utm_source=STS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=q32023">Capitalize </a>and initiate your first rollover for free. With 1,000+ 5-star reviews on TrustPilot, you really can’t go wrong.

Alright, that wraps it up for this week! I’m Daniella Flores, a former software engineer turned career researcher who writes about tech, money, and different jobs. My work has been featured in TIME, CNBC, CNET, Business Insider, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) If you want to connect, follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.Need help negotiating? Our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a> has scripts and tips to get you a higher salary at your current (or new) job.&nbsp;&nbsp;Explore thousands of individually reported, contextual salaries across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.com

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A Guide to 401(k) Rollovers

It's perfectly normal to ask for a pay bump, especially if you've taken on more duties, gained more experience, or if your salary needs to be adjusted to match the market. But many don't know how to ask for a raise to begin with.BambooHR reported in its <a href="https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/data-at-work/data-stories/2026-compensation-trends">2026 Compensation Trends Report</a> that out of 1,500 full-time salaried employees, a third of them (33%) didn’t get a raise in the last year. Those that did, received an average increase of 4.8%, barely topping the current inflation of <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cpi/">4.2%</a>. You NEED to ask for more. &nbsp;

Don’t let your fear of asking for a raise hold you back from earning more. It isn’t like you’re asking for a favor. Raises are how employers show recognition and make sure their employees are paid fairly as their responsibilities increase. They want to retain good talent and talent usually sticks around with a <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/most-secure-jobs">secure high-paying job</a>.Asking for a raise isn’t overly complicated and is similar to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiating your salary</a>, but there are a few things to consider. In this article, we’ll dig into how to ask for a raise, when to do it, and what to say.Key Points:<ul><li>It’s normal to ask for a raise. You won’t get fired for it.</li><li>Know when to ask for a raise and time it wisely. The best time tends to be before employee review cycles.</li><li>Be polite when asking for a raise. Negotiations aren’t fights, they’re discussions with compromises.&nbsp;</li><li>Do market research to know how much to ask for using our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Salary Research Guide</a>.</li><li>Build a “brag sheet” of your responsibilities and accomplishments to back up your raise request.</li><li>Know what to say (and what to not say) when discussing a raise with your manager.</li><li>Draft a rough script of what to say during the meeting and practice it with another person.</li></ul>

&nbsp;<h2>How to Ask Your Manager for a Raise</h2><h2>1. Know when to ask for a raise.</h2>The timing of when you ask for a raise matters. Companies’ budgets fluctuate throughout the year and some may have raise schedules in place. If you're new, it's best to wait at least six months before bringing up a raise.

Before asking, think about the current financial health of the company and what the the best times of the year are to ask. Employers usually hold annual or quarterly <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-prepare-for-a-performance-review">performance reviews </a>with their employees, and if you have one approaching then your employer may already be preparing for a raise discussion.Employee reviews may have set raises the company gives out depending on if the employee gets “meets expectations” or “above expectations” such as 3%, 4%, 5%, and so on depending on your company’s budget. According to a <a href="https://www.payscale.com/featured-content/2026-salary-increases-preview">2026 Pay Increase Preview Report by Payscale</a>, employers are planning base pay increases of 3.5%, which can be more depending on your industry, role, and company.&nbsp;Payscale’s report also stated that the biggest reason for pay increases is merit and performance. The most important thing in negotiating a higher raise is how you position yourself. For instance, if you receive a satisfactory review that only comes with a 3% raise, use your accomplishments and any recent increases of responsibility to push for more. If available, refer to the company's and team's business objectives for the year and show your manager a few ways you've met or exceeded expectations for those objectives.Another good time of the year to ask for a raise is the end of the fiscal year, which is a 12-month accounting period in which budgets are set, including salary adjustments such as raises. It may or may not align with the calendar year, so you will have to check what those dates are at your job.However, you don’t have to wait for employee reviews or a specific time of the year to ask for a raise. You should mention it frequently and check in on your goals to meet the expectations of a raise on a quarterly basis.<h2>2. How much of a raise should I ask for?</h2>When determining how much to ask for, consider your performance, achievements, and market value. It's often recommended to request a raise in the range of 5% to 15% of your current salary, but the specific amount will depend on your individual circumstances, your market rate, and the overall context of the request.&nbsp;If you don’t know your market rate, use our free<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide"> Market Salary Research Guide</a> to calculate what that is. This involves researching typical <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-range">salary ranges</a> for your position, level of experience, location, and other factors. Our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> can help you with that part! The video below also has some helpful tips.

Underpaid? Here’s how to find your market rate using pay transparency laws! #salarytransparentstreet

Other tools to use for salary research include Glassdoor and Payscale. Once you find your market rate, adjust for your experience, role, and responsibilities and be prepared to present that data as you negotiate your raise. This can be as simple as stating that according to the current market pay for your role and the accomplishments you’ve presented, you’re looking for a raise within a certain range.You can also <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">discuss salary with coworkers</a> about their experience with negotiating raises at the company so you know what to expect. Thanks to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a> across the United States, this is totally legal and your employer can’t retaliate against you for doing so.<h2>3. How to Set Up The Meeting With Your Manager</h2>It's important to be polite and professional in your approach when setting up a meeting with your manager to discuss a potential raise. You don’t want to come off as arrogant or that you take them lightly. Start by sending an email to schedule the meeting, clearly stating the purpose and desired outcome.&nbsp;Express your appreciation for their time and offer flexibility in scheduling. Provide a brief overview of the topics you'd like to discuss, including your performance, achievements, and reasons for requesting a raise. Don’t forget to schedule the meeting at a time when your manager is likely to be available and when you can have a focused and uninterrupted conversation.&nbsp;<h2>4. How to Ask For a Raise via Email: Template &amp; Example</h2>See below for an email template to use for your raise request, along with an example email using a real-life scenario with the position title of Digital Marketing Analyst.

Email Template:Subject: Request for Salary ReviewDear [Manager's Name],I hope you’re doing well! I’m extremely thankful for having the opportunity to learn and grow in my role as a [Position Title] at [Company Name]. I’m proud of the work I’ve been able to contribute as a part of the team. As I continue to grow in my role and take on new responsibilities, I would like to take the time to discuss my performance and contributions and request a salary review.Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and projects, such as [name 1 big responsibility] and [name 1 big project]. I believe that my efforts have contributed positively to the team and our company's goals.I’ve taken the initiative to research industry standards for my position, and based on my findings, I would like to request a salary adjustment to align with market rates. I’m confident that my skills, experience, and achievements warrant this adjustment.I’ve outlined some key points below to support my request:<ul><li>Accomplishments: Highlight specific achievements and projects you have successfully completed, including their impact&nbsp;</li><li>Additional Responsibilities: Describe any additional tasks or duties you’ve taken on since your last salary review</li><li>Market Research: Provide data or references to support your claim that your current salary is below market standards for your role.&nbsp;</li></ul>Could we schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss this further? I understand your time is limited, so let me know which week works the best for you and I can find a time on the calendar that works best for the both of us. I’m also willing to provide any additional information or documentation you need.&nbsp;Thank you for considering my request and I look forward to our meeting.Sincerely,[Your Name]

Real-Life Email Example:Subject: Request for Salary ReviewDear Linda,I hope you’re doing well! I’m extremely thankful for having the opportunity to learn and grow in my role as a Digital Marketing Analyst at ABC Company. I am proud of the work I’ve been able to contribute, along with the team. As I continue to grow in my role and take on new responsibilities, I would like to take the time to discuss my performance and contributions, and request a salary review.Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and projects, such as implementing a new social media advertising strategy and leading the development of our content marketing calendar. I believe that my efforts have contributed positively to the team and our company's goals.I’ve taken the initiative to research industry standards for my position, and based on my findings, I would like to request a salary adjustment to align with market rates. I am confident that my skills, experience, and achievements warrant this adjustment.I’ve outlined some key points below to support my request:<ul><li>Accomplishments: Successfully increased website traffic by 30% through SEO optimization and content marketing initiatives.</li><li>Additional Responsibilities: Took on an additional role of managing our influencer marketing partnerships, resulting in a 25% increase in engagement and sales.</li><li>Market Research: According to recent data from industry reports and job postings, the average salary for Digital Marketing Analysts with similar experience and qualifications is $80,000.</li></ul>Could we schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss this further? I understand your time is limited, so let me know which week works the best for you and I can find a time on the calendar that works best for the both of us. I am also willing to provide any additional information or documentation you need.Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to our meeting.Sincerely,Stephanie<h2>5. Prepare for the meeting.</h2>

Before your meeting with your manager, refer to the email you sent them . and expand on it with any other accomplishments that weren’t mentioned.&nbsp;A great way to do this is to create a brag sheet that includes all your “wins”. It’s best to note these throughout the year on a spreadsheet (like Google Sheets) or in your notes app on your phone. But if you haven’t been doing that, go through your old emails and past projects (and their results) to gather what you’ve done.&nbsp;It’s also helpful to look for emails with testimonials from colleagues and management praising you. Save any emails with praise to a specific folder in Outlook (or whatever email provider you use for your job) for easy retrieval.From there, think about what you’ll say in the meeting and how to say it.<h2>6. Draft a rough script and practice, practice, practice.</h2>Another way to prepare for the meeting with your manager is to create a conversational script of what you want to say and how you’ll say it.&nbsp;The script may go something like this:Employee: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, [Manager's Name]. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my performance and potential salary adjustments.Manager: Of course, [Your Name]. What specifically did you want to discuss regarding your performance and compensation?Employee: Over the past year, I've taken on additional responsibilities and projects, such as [mention specific examples]. I believe these contributions have positively impacted our team and the company's goals. Considering industry standards, similar positions recently posted on the company’s website, my experience, skills, &amp; market rate, I believe a salary of [$X] makes the most sense moving forward.Manager: I see. You’ve definitely proven your value to the team and company. Let me look into the salary data you've provided and consider how it aligns with our budget and company policies.Employee: I understand and look forward to your response.Manager: Thank you for your understanding. Let me review the information you've provided and follow up with you soon.Employee: Thank you, [Manager's Name]. I appreciate your time and support.This conversation may differ depending on your unique situation and why you’re asking for a raise. To build confidence as you prepare, rehearse with another person to get acclimated to how the conversation may flow. Recording yourself to note your body language and speech patterns can also be a helpful way to prepare.For more scripts to use when negotiating salary, raises, and benefits, use our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-scripts">salary negotiation scripts</a>.<h2>7. Crush the meeting.</h2>

Come into the meeting with an open mind. You’ll have better luck negotiating if you’re clear and direct without being defensive. Negotiations aren’t fights, they’re compromises.Think of why your manager would want to give you a raise. How long have you been there? How have your responsibilities increased or changed since you were hired? When your job description changes, your pay should reflect that. All of these factors should be considered during this conversation.This is where you present your accomplishments and explain their business value, which is&nbsp; anything you’ve contributed that you can show how it positively affected the business (use that brag sheet!).&nbsp;For example, one of your accomplishments could be: “I’ve been leading several projects to correct website defects and push new features, which resulted in an increase in website traffic that eventually led to more product purchases. In these projects, I’m taking on additional responsibilities that would normally be under a more senior position.” This shows how your contributions directly affected their profits.<h2>8. What happens if the answer is “no”?</h2>The worst thing they can say is no. Right? But, what do you do when your request is rejected? If you don’t get the raise you hoped for, you might be able to compromise with your employer and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">negotiate for additional benefits</a> like flex work and more vacation time.If the answer is something along the lines of a “maybe”, be patient because it’s likely that your manager has to revisit the team’s budget or get approval for your request.&nbsp;<h2>9. Send a follow up email after the meeting thanking your manager for their time.</h2>Managers love it when their team makes their job easier in some way. They’re busy and stuck in meetings, so their time is limited and there are many things they might forget throughout the work day. Sending a followup email after the meeting that thanks them for their time and recaps key points will put your request at the top of their mind. Include a quick recap of the conversation and your accomplishments in key points to make it easier for your manager if they have to get approval from higher up.

<h2>What Not to Say When Asking for a Pay Raise</h2>Now that we’ve covered all the things that you should say when asking for a raise, let’s cover what NOT to say.Avoid any of these statements if you want your raise request to be taken seriously:<ul><li>"I've been here longer than most people, so I should get a raise."</li><li>“I deserve a raise.”</li><li>"I heard [colleague's name] got a raise, so I should too."</li><li>"I'm struggling financially and need more money."</li><li>"I'll quit if I don't get a raise."</li><li>"I know the company is doing well financially, so why haven't I received a raise yet?"</li></ul><h2>Why You Should Always Negotiate</h2>Asking for a raise can sometimes mean the difference between a $85k and <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/100k-salary-cities">$100k salary</a>. That’s a huge difference. Imagine what you could do with that money!&nbsp;Negotiations are nothing to be scared of. These are standard procedures with employers, so make good use of them.

This is why <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/the-importance-of-salary-transparency">salary transparency is so important</a>. It gives you both the data and confidence to navigate negotiations, and get paid what you deserve.&nbsp;<h2>Are you underpaid? Find out with our free quiz 👇</h2>&nbsp;

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Author note: I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer and <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a> member who writes about tech, money, and careers. I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you to get a raise, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ hello@checksalaries.comFor more transparent resources:<ul><li>Explore thousands of individually reported salaries across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> (and add your own)!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li></ul>

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How to Ask for a Raise (With Examples and Scripts)

So you just found out your work bestie makes more than you. It doesn’t feel great. It’s also super confusing because now, what are you supposed to do?&nbsp;You can’t go running to your manager to demand that since you know your coworker makes more, you should <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-ask-for-a-raise">get a pay raise</a> immediately. Even though employees are legally able to discuss each other’s salaries, according to the <a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/your-rights-to-discuss-wages#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20an%20employee,policies%20against%20using%20their%20equipment">National Labor Relations Act</a>, pointing fingers won’t get you anywhere.But that doesn’t mean you’re completely SOL. Now that you know <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">you’re being underpaid</a>, it’s actually the perfect time to dive into researching your own market salary and prepare to negotiate for higher pay.Key points:<ul><li>Finding out a coworker makes more than you is data you can use, but don’t focus on that coworker when negotiating your salary.</li><li>A higher salary for one coworker doesn't automatically mean you're underpaid. Compare roles, experience, and do your market salary research before you conclude anything.</li><li>Your strongest case for a raise is built on your market rate and your contributions, not on what your coworker makes.</li></ul><h2>Take a Step Back and Assess The Situation</h2>Don’t jump to any conclusions and stew in thinking you’ve become a victim to <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-discrimination">pay discrimination</a>, and don’t talk to HR. Opening a case based on this one interaction may backfire.&nbsp;Despite working the same role with the same qualifications, someone else’s salary being higher than yours doesn’t require the company to do anything about it. It could simply be because that person negotiated for a higher salary than you did, had certain aspects of their experience, or has been with the company longer that prompted their pay to be higher.&nbsp;There’s also no guarantee that your colleague is being fairly paid either, even if their salary is higher. They might’ve never researched what they should be paid and took the highest the company was able to give, which is why you absolutely shouldn’t drag them into this (nor their salary data) when preparing to talk to your manager.Yes, there are several <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/pay-transparency-laws">pay transparency laws</a> in the U.S. that require companies to disclose salary ranges in job listings, prohibit companies from asking about salary history, and protect employees from retaliation when <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/discussing-salary-with-coworkers">talking about their pay</a>. However, there are no laws that require companies to pay their employees equally (lame, we know).&nbsp;But you could certainly consult an employment lawyer through the <a href="https://www.nela.org/">National Employment Lawyers Association</a> while you research how you can negotiate for higher pay (if you want to continue working at this same company).&nbsp;<h2>Research Your Market Salary</h2>If you know you’re not making what you should be for your role (<a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">take our quiz here to check</a>), it’s time to do some market salary research. This consists of cross referencing several data sources, like our <a href="https://checksalaries.com/salary-database">Check Salaries Database</a>, and talking with other professionals in your field to determine what the going market rate or salary range is for your job title, experience, skills, location, and company size and industry.Start your research by following our <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-much-should-i-be-making">Free Market Salary Research Guide</a>, which also has a list of other data sources to use. For each platform, identify the highest and lowest salaries for your job title (that also matches your experience and other factors) to see where you might fall. This will also be your salary range. Then add the high and low range numbers together and divide them by 2 to calculate your market salary.Example: (highest + lowest) ÷ 2 = average salaryRepeat this process across a few different salary data sources, salary calculators, and conversations with others to produce a set of numbers to determine your final market salary range. You can even use the company’s own ‘Careers’ section of their website to pull the salary ranges on similar roles if they’re disclosed. Also take into account the benefits package at your job and how that goes into your total compensation (you can also <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">negotiate your benefits</a> if your manager can’t budge on salary).&nbsp;<h2>Prepare to Renegotiate Your Salary</h2>There are multiple ways you can go about renegotiating your salary for a raise, but there are a few things to keep in mind that will inform how or when to have this conversation. &nbsp;First things first, do you have any friends in high places? By that we mean, are there any friends you have at your job that are in management, in another higher-level role than yours, or a mentor at the company (either through a mentorship program at the company or through your own internal network)? Because those are the people you can tap to ask what their own experiences have been like negotiating and if there is any advice they can give, especially if they’ve ever been on the other side of the conversation as a manager or someone that makes pay compensation decisions.&nbsp;Your next step is to assess the best timing for the conversation with your manager. If annual <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-prepare-for-a-performance-review">employee reviews </a>are coming up, that’s the perfect opportunity to negotiate. This discussion focuses on your contributions and your manager is already prepared for the possibility that you will ask for a raise. Many might’ve already been given a budget for it. &nbsp;If it’s not coming up on employee review season, you can still set up a meeting with your manager on your own to discuss your work, the results you’ve driven, and state your case using what you’ve found in your market salary research. It’s important that you base your negotiation on your unique success in your role and the going rate for your expertise in the market, not on a he-said-she-said case.&nbsp;Take into account the biggest wins in your role this past year, additional responsibilities you’ve taken on, the impact they had, and write them down, including past ones at past jobs that your manager may not know about. Practice talking about these so you can comfortably frame how you deserve to be paid your fair market rate.&nbsp;Use our <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-negotiate-salary">Free Salary Negotiation Guide</a> and our <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-scripts">salary negotiation scripts</a> to prepare how you’ll start the negotiation and advocate for yourself.&nbsp;<h2>Schedule Time With Your Manager (NOT HR)</h2>Once you’ve prepared how you’re going to present your case and renegotiate your salary, set up a meeting with your manager. They’re the ones who can advocate for your raise if they agree with your case and are the ones that have the responsibility to get approval for that raise, not HR. &nbsp;Think about how your boss makes decisions and what they’ll need to be swayed, and work that into the conversation. They’ll need proof themselves to back up your request when getting approval. So, give them all of that beautiful market research data you’ve gathered and the exact bullet points that describe how you specifically impacted the business value of the company, like increasing sales, leads, improved processes, led projects, increased productivity, and other big moves.This can be as simple as an email that states something like the template below:&nbsp;“Hello [Manager’s Name],&nbsp;As I continue to grow in my role and take on more projects, I’d like to schedule some time to discuss my performance and request a salary review.Considering the recent [big project that you’ve completed and yielded results that were above expectations] and [any new responsibilities you’ve taken on, or extra responsibilities or unique skills that warrant higher pay that the standard role you’re in], I believe my work has had a huge impact on helping the team and company reach their business objectives this year.&nbsp;I’ve looked into the industry standards for my position, and based on what I’ve found, I would like a salary adjustment to align with the going market rate for my position and unique skills, experience, responsibilities, and achievements. For further reference, here are a few key points that support my request:&nbsp;<ul><li>[Highlight 1 to 2 key accomplishments and their impact] Example: “Successfully increased sales by 50% through leading a project to improve sales funnels and helping to complete that project early.”</li><li>[Highlight additional responsibilities or unique skills you’re using in your job that the rest of the team may lack] Example: “I’m the only person that owns our funnel analytics end to end and the reporting dashboards. The process changes I’ve made is the core of what our sales team runs on. I’ve also been tasked with training new reps on updated funnel processes, which sits outside my role but keeps our sales conversions consistent (and without any gaps that could negatively impact our sales).”</li><li>[Market research results] Example: “According to recent data from industry reports and job postings, the average salary for a Sales Operations Analyst with similar experience and qualifications is $120,000.”</li></ul>Could we schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss? I understand things are hectic and your time is limited, so let me know which day and time works best, or I can schedule according to your open times on your calendar. I’m also willing to provide any other documentation or data you need before the meeting!&nbsp;Thank you for your time and I look forward to our meeting.Sincerely,[Your Name]&nbsp;The email template may seem like too much information but it’s actually a good thing to have a paper trail of the proof that shows you’re currently underpaid before you even walk into the negotiation. It also gives your manager all the information they need in writing so they don’t miss anything in the meeting and when they try to get approval from the “powers that be” for your salary increase.&nbsp;<h2>What If The Company Simply Doesn’t Want to Pay You More?</h2>You could do all the research in the world and state the perfect case for a higher salary, but that doesn’t guarantee that your manager understands it or agrees with it. Even if your manager reacts positively in the negotiation and wants to grant your request, it doesn’t guarantee that the company will approve that request.&nbsp;If you get shot down, maybe it’s time to look for a different job. For every company that doesn’t appreciate its employees' contributions, there is one that will and is eagerly waiting for your application!That wraps it up for this week. I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, former member of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/">CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub">Resource Hub</a> (thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/">Linkedin</a>. Chat soon!If this guide helps you renegotiate a higher salary, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ <a href="mailto:hello@checksalaries.com">hello@checksalaries.com</a>For more transparent resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore over 25,000 individually reported (and verified) salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/p/underpaid-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Think you’re being lowballed in a salary offer? Read what the <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/lowball-job-offer">signs of a lowball salary offer</a> are!</li><li>Don’t have much experience negotiating? Read some of the <a href="https://checksalaries.com/resource-hub/salary-negotiation-myths">biggest salary negotiation myths</a> to help boost your confidence!</li></ul>

Found out a coworker earns more than you? Don't run to HR. Here's how to research your market salary and negotiate the raise you deserve.

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What to Do If You Find Out a Coworker Makes More Than You 

Heads up: This article may include affiliate links or sponsored content from brands we trust. Using them doesn’t cost you anything and helps support our mission.Did you just get off the most tone deaf Zoom call where someone from human resources announced a mass layoff? Or worse, was it done over email?Getting laid off is never fun and it’s downright insulting when it’s done without an ounce of respect. Your employer could be downsizing, restructuring, or going through other operational changes, but that doesn’t make it seem any less personal.We’ve seen way too many layoffs recently from technology companies, partially <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/will-ai-take-my-job">due to AI,</a> but it can happen within any company and it’s absolutely not your fault.There have been 1.1 million job cuts in 2025 so far (65% more than 2024), according to an <a href="https://www.challengergray.com/blog/october-challenger-report-153074-job-cuts-on-cost-cutting-ai/">October 2025 report</a> by Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas, an outplacement and executive coaching firm that tracks layoffs monthly.Layoffs are emotional and you’ll need some time to process, but it’s important to stay professional with your eyes looking forward. Sit with those emotions and feel your feelings, but don’t stay there.&nbsp;We gathered a few software engineers to get a behind-the-scenes look into their careers, including how they’re handling layoffs. One software engineer we interviewed had an interesting point. He says, “It gives you, as an employee, a chance to kind of redefine or reevaluate where you’re at.” He touches on this chance that you now have to take the power back in your hands and see where you can pivot from there.&nbsp;

How Much Do Software Engineers Make? Reactions to AI, Layoffs and More! The Break Room Episode 5

You’re not alone in this and it won’t be the deciding factor for what happens to the rest of your career. There is life after a layoff.&nbsp;Use this step-by-step guide to understand your rights, secure your severance, learn how to file for unemployment, and other important tasks like <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/401k-rollovers">rolling over your 401(k) </a>and getting healthcare coverage, so you can move on with your life and on to your next chapter.Key points:<ul><li>There are laws in place, like the WARN act, that protect workers’ rights in a layoff.</li><li>Get all of the details about your layoff from human resources in writing, which is called a “layoff letter”, before you sign anything.</li><li>You may be entitled to a severance package, continuation of benefits, and unemployment.</li><li>You can work with an employment lawyer through the National Employment Lawyers Association throughout your layoff to negotiate your severance and benefits, and make sure your rights are being honored (most offer free consultations).</li><li>Revisit your finances and adjust your budget to account for the loss of income and apply for unemployment benefits through the U.S. Department of Labor website.</li><li>Prepare a few things to re-enter the job market with, such as recommendation letters, resume and LinkedIn updates, and connect with your professional network.</li></ul>

&nbsp;<h2>Know Your Rights &amp; Revisit Your Contract</h2>Yes, employees have rights, especially during a layoff! We reached out to retired employment attorney, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/delyannethemoneycoach/">Delyanne Barros</a>, to help us get a little more acquainted with what rights you may or may not have.&nbsp;After hearing the unsavory news of your layoff, expect a separate meeting request from human resources. If they don’t, set one up. This meeting is to go over the details of the layoff and to ask for your signature on a few documents (don’t sign just yet).&nbsp;Delyanne says that employees should not sign anything before talking to an attorney. “Many employers will try to pressure you to sign a severance agreement or waiver on the spot. The best thing to do is to take it with you and say that you need to look it over carefully and that you will promptly get back to them,” says Delyanne.

Delyanne recommends that employees get familiar with the <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/layoffs/warn">Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act</a>. “Most states in the US are at-will states which means that an employer can fire for any reason or none at all. However, there are specific laws that apply to certain employers when conducting mass layoffs. The WARN Act requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 days notice of any mass layoffs."To find whether an employer has issued a WARN notice or not, a simple google search can help. ”An employee can look up whether their employer has issued a WARN notice by googling ‘Warn notice’ plus their state. Many states also have mini-WARN Acts that provide additional protections for employees at smaller companies,” she says.There are currently <a href="https://www.statechambers.org/state-warn-acts">13 states</a> with mini-WARN acts, including California, Connecticut, Washington, North Carolina, and Illinois, to name a few.Employees’ rights outside of the WARN Act can get a little tricky, but Delyanne says to check your employment contract to see if it outlines any specific information in case of a layoff, and to reach out to the <a href="https://www.nela.org/">National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)</a> to find an employment lawyer to work with.<h2>Request a “Layoff Letter”</h2>Your company can supply a confirmation letter, or “layoff letter”, that states that your position is being terminated. Request this letter from the human resources associate you’re working with that includes the reasons for the layoff, effective date of termination, date of your last paycheck, and details about any severance payments or benefits that you’re entitled to.Having this letter gives you official documentation of your layoff, which may come in handy when applying for unemployment benefits and future job searches. It will also come in handy if there are any disputes or legal issues related to the layoff.<h2>Understand Your Severance Package</h2>

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If you’re entitled to a severance package, lucky you! That will be your lifeline after your final paycheck, so don’t overlook it. It’s best to review all the details with a member of human resources so you fully understand your severance package and if it’s fair or not. There are no stupid questions here. Ask them anything and everything you can think of.Negotiation is the name of the game with severances. Just like <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-salary-offer">negotiating salary during a job offer</a>, severance packages can also be negotiated. Delyanne says this is where an employment lawyer also comes in handy, but many people hesitate to reach out to one because they think they’re only useful when planning to sue an employer. “However, I coached many clients behind-the-scenes during severance negotiations or negotiated on their behalf if they preferred it,” she says.Delyanne advises employees to “consult with an employment attorney in their state before they engage in severance negotiations. Most attorneys will offer a free consultation and may provide some guidance during that meeting.”Employees wanting to speak with an employment lawyer should check <a href="https://exchange.nela.org/memberdirectory/findalawyer">NELA’s referral directory</a> online.&nbsp;<h2>Ask About Benefits</h2>Similar to <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/negotiate-benefits">negotiating benefits</a> during a job offer, you can also negotiate them when you leave. In your meeting with HR, go over your current benefits with them to see if compensation is warranted.&nbsp;Even if your benefit information is included in the layoff letter, discuss the specifics with human resources so you don’t have any unexpected surprises later on. Ask about health coverage changes, including the official end date of your employer-sponsored health plan and how to sign up for <a href="https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/health-plans/cobra">Continuation of Health Coverage (COBRA)</a>.&nbsp;But, what about unused paid time off (PTO)? You can absolutely get compensated for those if the company is able to include it. Some employers already have a policy indicating the certain number of PTO days they pay out for employees based on how long they’ve been at the company, but if yours doesn’t, don’t be afraid to ask! Your employment lawyer can help you negotiate this as well.<h2>Look At Options to Continue Healthcare Coverage</h2>Depending on your employer, you may be able to sign up for COBRA to continue your health coverage. The time period for the coverage continuation usually falls around 18 months, but you’ll have to pay the full premium in addition to administration fees.

gif of larry david on snl saying "universal health care doesn't sound too crazy now, does it?"

Another option is looking at alternative health insurance options on the <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/">Healthcare Marketplace</a> or joining your spouse’s health plan.&nbsp;<h2>Review Your 401(k) &amp; Prepare for a 401(k) Rollover</h2>Your 401(k) is 100% yours and won’t disappear just because you've been laid off. Employers will either keep it where it is, or transfer it to another 401(k) provider or Individual Retirement Account (IRA) of their choosing.&nbsp;This is where 401(k) rollovers come in. It’s a good idea to rollover your 401(k) after your last day of employment so you aren’t at the mercy of the company’s choices. When rolling over a 401(k), there’s the option of transferring it to an IRA of your choosing using tools like Capitalize or PensionBee.

&nbsp;<h2>Ask Your Boss for a Letter of Recommendation</h2>You need as many resources on your side as possible when you reenter the job market. This is where your boss can help! I mean, it’s the least they can do.

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Set up a quick 1-on-1 with your boss during your last weeks or months at your job to see if they can write a letter of recommendation for you and if you can use them as a reference. Another option is asking them if they can fill out a recommendation for you on LinkedIn to help your profile attract recruiters.Many folks will also post on LinkedIn that they just got laid off and are looking for another job. If you also want to do this, I recommend following <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kelli-e-ballou-mcmillan-6ba85ba2_cisco-avaya-aws-activity-7389402559255494656-aOTI/">this example</a> and asking your manager if they can comment on it and vouch for your expertise (including at least 1 result you achieved). This is such an easy 1-minute thing they can do for you that will instantly appear in front of multiple employers at once, including your manager’s connections as well.<h2>File for Unemployment Benefits</h2>Unemployment benefits are available to laid off employees if your employer contributed to the state’s unemployment insurance program. Payments from unemployment benefits, and its duration, will depend on your state.&nbsp;Visit the U.S. Department of Labor website to find your state and <a href="https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/unemployment-insurance">file for unemployment benefits</a>.<h2>Revisit Your Finances &amp; Adjust Your Budget</h2>Now that you’ve lost your primary source of income, it’s time to review your finances. Log into your different accounts including your checking, savings, and any investment accounts to take stock of your current financial situation.&nbsp;Re-adjust your budget and cut any expenses you can. If you’ve saved an emergency fund, determine how much of it you want to use and how you can rework your budget to accommodate it.<h2>Update Your Resume &amp; LinkedIn</h2>

It’s probably been awhile since you’ve updated your resume and LinkedIn. Many of us forget about them the longer we stay at one job. It’s time to update and revamp both to help you stand out when applying for jobs.Add information about your most recent job to your resume. Update it to include not only what you did, but also include the impact and results of your contributions. We love <a href="https://get.tealhq.com/55VxqL" rel="sponsored">Teal </a>for updating your resume. It formats your resume so recruiters can find it easily and suggests ways to stand out, including how to match your resume to the jobs you’re applying to.Then update your information on LinkedIn, including your past role and the skills used in that role. Even better if you put a bullet or 2 about project results and upload or link to the work you did at each company (if you’re allowed to share that work). It’s also helpful to add keywords in your LinkedIn headline that shows exactly what you do and for who, and select that you’re “Open to work” on your profile.Also read: <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/how-to-write-a-cover-letter">How to Write An Unignorable Cover Letter (With Examples)</a>

<h2>Tap Into Your Network</h2>Your network is one of the most valuable resources when searching for a new job. Reach out to past colleagues on LinkedIn or other platforms, and any recruiters you’ve had contact with in the past.&nbsp;If you’re in any local networking groups, such as a women’s networking group or alumni organization, reconnect with them and see what events are happening near you or virtually. Online groups, like those on <a href="https://slack.com/">Slack</a>, <a href="https://www.fishbowlapp.com/">Fishbowl</a>, and <a href="https://joinhandshake.com/">Handshake</a>, can also be helpful when building a professional network. Type into Google your job title and the words “Slack groups” to find relevant groups for you.<h2>Really Think About Where You Want to Go From Here</h2>

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Before diving head first into a stream of endless job applications, ask yourself what you really want to do from this point on. Do you want to work for a company in the same sector? Do you want the same role? Do you want to freelance while you figure out your next move?Most people need a new job immediately to replace the loss of income, especially when they don’t have an emergency fund to fall back on. This is why many turn to freelancing during their job search. Or if they already did so as a side hustle, they lean even more into it. That’s exactly what <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/justdanamiranda/">Dana Miranda</a>, a personal finance journalist that I spoke to about her recent layoff, did after she got the news.“I didn't start applying for jobs right away or reach out for any freelance writing work. I slowly contacted a couple of people in my network about full-time writing jobs, and I decided to take the opportunity to diversify my income,” says Dana. “I don't want to be wholly reliant on the media industry, especially a single niche, for my income. So I posted to LinkedIn offering virtual assistant(VA)/operations support to see if I’d get any bites.”This was something Dana had experience in from running her own freelance business on the side of her job, and she indeed got some bites. She was able to secure 3 clients from promoting her new service on LinkedIn via one simple post. If you want to try a similar approach in your area of expertise, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/justdanamiranda_know-anyone-who-needs-a-va-in-the-wake-activity-7388599306573967360-DRe5/">follow her example</a> to get an idea for how to position yourself. She’s still looking for jobs while running her new VA service and freelance writing.Also think about how much you want to get paid and what sort of benefits you’re looking for in your next job. Our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a> and free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> can help when setting your market salary range.&nbsp;And for your job search, our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/job-board">Transparent Job Board</a> can help! We only post jobs that include the salary because you don’t deserve to spend hours applying to jobs that may not even pay you fairly.&nbsp;For <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/highest-paying-remote-jobs">remote jobs</a>, we love <a href="https://flexjobs.sjv.io/xL7Rm5" rel="sponsored">FlexJobs</a> (they screen every job so the job board is 100% scam-free and ghost job-free).

<h2>Take Care of What Matters Most: Yourself</h2>Job hunting is exhausting. Take it day-by-day and know that there is light at the end of this tunnel. It’s important to have some sort of structure in your days with a daily routine. Add some much-needed self care and set realistic expectations in your job search to promote a positive outlook.&nbsp;Please, please, please ask for help if you need it, whether that’s spending time with your family and friends to free your mind, working with a life or career coach, or reaching out to a mental health professional. There are people out there that can help you through this, including those in the Salary Transparent Street community.That wraps it up for this week. Until next time, stay awesome, stay strong, and keep advocating for yourself no matter what! I’m Daniella Flores, a former engineer who writes about tech, money, and careers, a current member of the<a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/financial-review-board/"> CNET Money Expert Review Board</a>, and career researcher that’s appeared in TIME, CNBC, and Investopedia (among many others). I’m extremely passionate about workers' rights and financial freedom, so it’s a pleasure to be able to bring you this type of content through the<a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub"> Resource Hub </a>(thank you for the opportunity, Hannah!) You can also follow me on<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellamarquez/"> Linkedin</a>. Chat soon! 👋If this guide helps you improve your negotiation skills, let us know! Send us an email ➡️ <a href="mailto:hello@checksalaries.com">hello@checksalaries.com</a>For more transparent resources:<ul><li>Want to join the movement? Explore thousands of individually reported salaries nationwide across all industries in our <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/salary-database">Salary Database</a>!</li><li>Do you know if you're being underpaid? <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/are-you-underpaid-free-quiz">Take our free quiz</a> to find out!</li><li>Need help determining your market rate? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-market-research-guide">Market Research Guide</a> to learn what you should be making.</li><li>Need help negotiating your salary? Download our free <a href="https://www.checksalaries.com/resource-hub/free-salary-negotiation-guide">Salary Negotiation Guide</a>!</li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/salarytransparentstreet/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salarytransparentstreet">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/salarytransparentstreet">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/salarytransparentstreet/">LinkedIn </a>for daily pay transparency interviews and career news you can use!</li><li>Subscribe to our <a href="https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe">weekly newsletter</a> for news updates, professional deep dives, learning opportunities, and more!</li></ul>

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