The economy has been doing well and the labor supply is tight, but employees still aren’t able to dictate salary terms to their employers: Negotiation over pay is alive and well.

Negotiating a raise or a better job offer is a delicate dance. You want to say the right things and avoid putting your foot in your mouth. If you are currently looking at a salary negotiation or expect to in the near future, consider the following five tips.

1) Know What You’re Worth

Before you even start a negotiation, you need to know how much leverage you’ll have going in. Online salary data for the supply chain industry can be a handy guide in this area.

Figuring out what you are worth with cold, hard numbers can also help take any emotional baggage out of the equation, which is a good thing.

2) Get the Timing Right

The worst thing you can do is ask for a raise after making a major mistake. Instead, wait for a time when you’ve been recognized for your achievements, or when your employer has a strong need for your skills.

When you get the timing right, it gives you more leverage than you would otherwise have.

3) Don’t Disclose Your Current or Desired Salary

In many job interviews, a hiring manager will try to get an applicant to disclose their current or last salary. Don’t fall for it. Disclosing your salary can lock you into a pay range that may be lower than if you hadn’t revealed it. Similarly, if you’re negotiating for raise and not limited by rigid company pay grades – avoid disclosing a minimum offer you’d accept.

If you do end up disclosing a current or desired salary, there still may be room to negotiate over benefits and things like flexible working arrangements.

4) Be Positive, Enthusiastic and Collaborative

TV shows and movies are filled with hard-as-nails negotiators, who pound their fist on the table and get what they want. However, a successful negotiation is rarely like that.

You are much more likely to get a good result from a negotiation if you stay positive and enthusiastic. It also helps to view the overpay as a collaboration: You and the company should want to work together to get a salary you can both live with.

Avoid being defensive about your request or using negative language that can have a chilling effect on the negotiation. For instance, instead of saying, “No, I can’t accept that offer,” you could say, “I think I could be happier with an additional 5 percent.”

5) Be Responsive

If you are expected to respond to an offer within a certain timeframe, don’t miss that deadline. Not being responsive not only makes you unsympathetic, but it also gives the company time to develop a Plan B.

Let Us Help You Find Well-Paying Supply Chain Opportunities

At ZDA, we routinely connect job seekers to great opportunities in the supply chain industry. Please contact our leading supply chain recruiters today to learn more.

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