Guide to salary negotiation

If you want to improve the chances of increasing your salary, thorough preparation is essential.

We help you prepare for a strong and realistic salary negotiation. You get tools, insights, and advice that give you a clear overview and strengthen your arguments.

Three things to do before your salary negotiation

Choose two to three strong arguments for why you should receive a salary increase. For example:

• Results you have delivered

• New tasks or increased responsibilities

• Skills and competencies you have developed

Practise your arguments by saying them out loud. This helps you present them clearly and confidently.

Define your goal. What do you want to achieve? Where are you willing to compromise? The clearer your starting point, the easier it is to negotiate.

Avoid common mistakes

Many believe that good results speak for themselves. Experience shows otherwise.

Those who actively ask for a higher salary are more likely to achieve it. Passivity is rarely an effective strategy.

Be clear, calm, and constructive in your request.

You are not negotiating against your manager – you are negotiating for your value.

Bonus can be part of your salary negotiation

A bonus scheme can be an opportunity, but it also introduces uncertainty. The amount may vary and is often a one-off or performance-based payment.

Pay attention to:

• What your bonus depends on – individual targets or company performance

• When and how your bonus is paid

• What happens to your bonus if you change jobs

• When you leave your position, are you entitled to a proportional share of your bonus, even if you have been released from your duties before your departure

Remember employee benefits

Remember that you shouldn’t only negotiate the amount on your payslip. You can also negotiate various employee benefits.

We have created an overview of the most common employee benefits in the Life Science industry – and what they may be worth to you.

Get advice from our legal experts

You do not have to handle your salary negotiation alone. We help you to:

• Prepare and refine your arguments

• Assess your salary level based on statistics and terms

• Clarify your rights – for example regarding bonus and termination