涨工资的谈判艺术

    说到2012年的职业目标，你也许会想到加薪。毕竟，经济正在缓慢复苏，失业率逐渐开始下降，而且雇主的经济状况也可能比过去一两年都要好。

    但是，在走进老板的办公室要求加薪之前，请先花点时间，为成功的谈话做好准备。也就是说，要研究一下自己所处的行业、企业和职位的一般薪酬水平和发展趋势。最重要的是，要确切地了解老板期望你取得怎样的业绩，从而可以向老板证明，自己已经超额完成了任务。

    卡耐基培训（Dale Carnegie Training）的董事长兼首席执行官彼得•韩铎称：“谈话的架势不应像这样：‘这就是我的要求，我要加薪’；而应该说，‘我知道公司希望我做到如下一二三点，我已经做到了。’”

    如果还没有和上司设定具体的绩效目标，无法比对自己的工作成果，可以同上司谈谈，为来年制定目标。明确达到目标之后，相应地能够获得哪些物质奖励，无论是成功销售的奖金也好，还是绩效达到某个水平就能加薪也好，都要明白无误地说清楚。然后，按照商定的时间，比如三个月，宽泛地讨论一下自己的职业发展，讨论要涵盖薪酬问题。

    “不能被动地坐等加薪。等到正式给你加薪的时候，其实已经通过了五六层审批，已经是铁板钉钉的事了，”扎西尔•拉哈尼说。拉哈尼是Kenexa公司薪酬业务的总裁，该公司的Salary.com网站提供在线薪酬数据和处理工具。“如果想要上司这个月就多给你发点钱，那就需要提前两到三个月的时间开始谈判。”

    如果你从来没有进行过加薪谈判，和你一样的人也大有人在。Salary.com的一项调查显示，只有12%的受访者在每年的业绩评估中会提出加薪要求，而44%的受访者从未在业绩评估环节提过涨工资的要求。

    职场抉择公司（Workplace Options）的总裁阿兰•金说，谈钱也许会让人感到不自在，承认这点也无妨。职场抉择是一家福利援助公司，位于美国北卡罗来纳州罗利。告诉上司，你只是想要开始讨论薪酬这个话题，这样在你的职业目标这个问题上，你就和上司达成了共识，不一定非得马上得到加薪的允诺。

    金说：“这样，你就不是在向公司伸手要什么东西，而是告诉公司‘我希望能在这家公司获得成长’。”如果你已经拿到了所在职位的最高薪酬，那么你需要的并不是加薪，而是升职——只有担负更高层次的责任，才能得到更多的酬劳。

    要求涨工资时，绝不要语意轻蔑或者把自己与其他员工进行对比，也不应威胁对方，如果不加薪就走人。相反，要让谈话朝着积极的方向发展，并保持协作的态度。思考一下，如何提升自己对雇主的价值。拉哈尼建议，如果基准研究发现，自己的收入低于职位应得的水平，需要向雇主挑明，“请帮我了解个中缘由。”

    As you set career goals for 2012, a raise might be on your list. After all, the economy is slowly recovering, unemployment is ticking down and your employer is likely in a better financial position than in the last year or three.

    But before you go into your boss's office demanding more money, take the time to lay the groundwork for a successful conversation. This means researching the typical compensation and salary path for your industry, company, and job position. Most important, understand exactly what results your boss expects of you, so you can demonstrate that you've exceeded them.

    "The framework of the conversation shouldn't be, 'this is what I want; I want a raise,' it should be, 'I know what the company wants of me: x, y and z, and I've done it,' " says Peter Handal, chairman and chief executive officer of Dale Carnegie Training.

    If you and your manager haven't already set specific performance goals that you can compare your work against, have a conversation to come up with goals for the coming year. Be explicit about the financial rewards associated with achieving those goals, whether it's a bonus for successful sales or a salary increase for a certain level of performance. Then, follow up at an agreed-upon time -- perhaps three months -- with a broader discussion about your career that includes the question of compensation.

    "Don't wait until the salary raises are given to you. By the time it comes to you, it has gone through five or six levels of approval, and it's a done deal," says Zahir Ladhani, president of the compensation business at Kenexa, whose Salary.com division offers online salary data and tools. "For your manager to be able to shift some dollars, you need to start the process at least two to three months ahead of time."

    If you've never negotiated a raise before, you're in good company. Only 12% of people surveyed by Salary.com always seek more money during an annual performance review, while 44% never bring up the subject of raises at review time.

    It's okay to acknowledge that the topic of money may be uncomfortable, says Alan King, president of Workplace Options, a benefits support firm based in Raleigh, N.C. Tell your supervisor that you'd just like to begin the conversation so that the two of you are on the same page for your career goals; you don't need a decision about a raise immediately.

    "What you're offering to the employer isn't just, 'Give me something,' you're saying to the employer, 'I want to grow in this company,' " King says. If you're already at the top of the pay range for your position, you may need to seek a promotion rather than a raise -- you'll only earn more when you achieve a higher level of responsibility.

    Never speak disparagingly or compare yourself to another employee when seeking a raise, nor should you threaten to leave if you don't get more money. Instead, keep the conversation positive and collaborative. Think about how you can become more valuable to the employer. If your benchmark research shows that you're earning less than you should be for the job you're performing, say, "Help me understand this," suggests Ladhani.