Solid Salary Negotiation Tips for Paralegals
- Properly Value Yourself
- Maintain a Winning Attitude
- Establish Goals Before Negotiations Start
- Remember Overtime
- Undertake Research
The paralegal profession has become highly competitive in recent years. Additionally, paralegals provide invaluable support to lawyers and law firms. As a result, a paralegal must be paid what he or she is worth and deserves. The heart of ensuring proper compensation is understanding how to negotiate a salary.
Related resource: Top 5 Online Paralegal Degree Programs
1. Properly Value Worth
A key step to effective salary negotiation for a paralegal is making certain that this type of professional properly values his or her worth. A paralegal must train his or her focus on the fact that many a law firm couldn’t function without this type of professional on the team. Valuing professional worth is vital whether working inhouse or as an outsourced paralegal, according to Forbes.
2. Maintain a Winning Attitude
On a related note, when it comes to successful paralegal salary negotiations, a person needs to project confidence and a winning attitude when involved in setting an initial pay rate or seeking a raise after employment. While a paralegal doesn’t want to be overbearing in salary negotiations because that will prove counterproductive, he or she does want to be confident and not equivocating when seeking a suitable salary.
3. Establish Goals Before Negotiations Start
Before starting actual salary negotiations, a paralegal must consider and establish specific goals and objectives. The failure to set specific salary goals and objectives before negotiations commence nearly always leaves a person prone to fall short when those discussions end. A paralegal is best served putting needs and goals down on paper rather than just trying to commit them to memory in advance of salary negotiations. Indeed, bringing written objectives into a salary meeting for reference is wholly appropriate and works to make sure all relevant points are covered.
4. Remember Overtime
When contemplating what a paralegal wants to seek in the way of compensation, a person needs to focus on the fact he or she likely puts in overtime with regularity. Being on a salary, when overtime occurs, a paralegal may not necessarily receive enumeration for that work. The prospect overtime must be a part of overall salary negotiations for a paralegal.
5. Undertake Research
Finally, when considering salary negotiation tips for a paralegal, research is a must. This includes comparing and contrasting what paralegals are paid in the market in which you are employed. It also necessitates researching what paralegals are paid in other cities as well. By taking a comprehensive approach to compensation research, a paralegal arms himself or herself with vital data that can be invaluable when negotiating salary going forward into the future. It ensures that a paralegal doesn’t undercut his or her self when negotiating compensation.
In the final analysis, by applying these tips, a paralegal is in the best position to obtain the desired salary. These tips apply when negotiating an initial salary and when seeking a raise after being employed.
