How to Negotiate Pay After a Career Break—According to an Expert
So you’re planning a return to the paid workforce? Here’s the expert advice you need to negotiate your salary, benefits, and much more.
When it comes to mothers making career shifts for family life, there is a lot of discussion about if, when, and how women might reenter the traditional workforce. From starting the job search to updating your resume to finding confidence while interviewing, there’s plenty to consider when planning a return to paid work.
If you’re preparing for this transition now, don’t be afraid to negotiate, says Megan Martin Strickland. Megan is an executive coach, consultant, and the vice president of business development at ReBoot Accel, a company that’s focused on helping women return to the workplace. Whether you’re just wrapping your head around the option to go back to work down the line, or you’re preparing to do so now, Megan offers guidance for negotiating salary, benefits, and more after your career break.
3 Tips for Negotiating After a Career Pause
1. Do Your Homework
Research the company/position on GlassDoor, Salary.com, or Payscale to understand the salary range of the position in your given geographic area. You will likely see a pay scale. Think about where you fit within this range considering your degree, experience, and skill set development during your pause.
2. Think Beyond Your Salary
Think through all the components of an offer package. Define what is most important for you. Be willing to make trade-offs based on your needs. Here are examples of things to consider: salary, bonus, signing bonus, equity, benefits, working terms, start date, vacation, role, development, work/family balance, flexible work option, and remote work option.
3. Negotiate With an Offer In-Hand
The company has spent resources during the interview process and has determined you are the right person for the job. They typically don’t want to go through the process again—so don’t be afraid to negotiate for something more than was offered. But do be smart about how you go about it:
Don’t be unrealistic about salary (refer to #2).
Negotiate for your ‘value,’ not for what you need. The conversation should not be about how much you need to cover childcare, but instead about the value you bring to the team or company.
The conversation should not be about how much you need to cover childcare, but instead about the value you bring to the team or company.
If they don’t appear flexible on salary due to their concerns about the time you have been away from work, ask them to be willing to re-negotiate salary after 6 months (sooner than the annual review cycle) after you have proven your ‘immediate value to the team’ or that your are ‘performing at a similar level as those who have been in the job.’
Negotiate live—either in person or on a live phone call.
Practice—out loud—remembering to thank them for the offer and to represent your ask as being related to the value that you are confident you will bring to the company.
Smile and be confident as you ask for what you deserve.
Read More:
How To Job Search After a Career Pause
Megan Martin Strickland is a coach, speaker, workshop facilitator, and advocate for women at work. She specializes in helping women return to work or transition to a career that supports their current life stage. For more from Megan, dig in with ReBoot Accel or Apres Group.
Editor’s note: A version of this story originally appeared in October 2018.
