ByHow to Negotiate an Internship Salary
Whether it's your first post-graduate role or you're thinking about taking a summer internship offer, you're likely to discuss your salary expectations with the hiring manager. This is why it's important to learn . While you may feel a little hesitant or intimidated about the thought of selling your qualifications and requesting an exact figure, most employers expect some type of negotiation and even welcome them. The way they are likely to see it is if you're confident and strong enough to negotiate the salary you're looking to make, you're an employee they can count on to back up the company.
Don't be afraid to ask for what you're worth and take control of your financial future. The worst thing that could occur is you being told "no", but you'll never receive a "yes" unless you ask. Fortunately, DoNotPay is here to help you through this process and make getting a "yes" much easier.
5 Tips on How to Negotiate an Intern’s Salary
To negotiate an internship salary, follow these five tips:
| Is Negotiating Even Possible? | First, you'll want to consider if you even have room to negotiate. Often, some companies have a summer internship program that's already pre-designed and comes with a certain rate or stipend. Others may pay by the:
There's no point in trying to negotiate an internship salary if the company has a fixed rate. You'd likely be wasting your time, and maybe even come across as naive when it comes to company budgets. However, if the company doesn't have an already assigned internship salary, this will provide you with more wiggle room to bargain. |
| Research the Going Rates | Do some research on similar internship programs to see what the average compensation is. You can find salary information freely on various salary websites and job sites, such as Payscale and Indeed. For instance, according to Indeed, $14.03 per hour is the average internship rate in October 2020. If you can't find any more up-to-date salary data, you can use this information as your starting point to negotiate your internship salary with your specific company. If your current internship salary is less than the average rate, it provides you with negotiating power. |
| Set a Negotiation Appointment | Once you've done your research and have determined the average internship salary rate, go ahead and set up an appointment with your employer to negotiate. Ask about the deadline for accepting the job offer and be sure your appointment is scheduled before that date. You're better off having the negotiation conversation in person, but it's also fine to discuss the matter over the phone.
It's best not to do this over email if at all possible since it's too easy for them to send back a written "no." If you must do it over email, DoNotPay’s services can definitely help you write up an official salary negotiation letter that you can then email to your employer. |
| Make Your Request | You must remain calm throughout your salary negotiation. Maintain an objective mindset and keep your emotions out of it. Don't act as if you're entitled. After you express your gratitude and excitement about your role with the company, let your employer know that you've done some research on comparable pay for others with your experience level. You'll want to be sure you have hard evidence to back up your claims. Be polite when you make your request. |
| Get the Final Offer in Writing | If you're satisfied with the final offer, make sure you ask for it in writing. Go through the written details thoroughly and make sure everything you've discussed with your employer is included. Be efficient, but quick, since you probably don't have more than a few days to accept the internship job offer. |
When to Negotiate Your Internship Salary
Generally, it's ideal to after you are made an offer instead of at the beginning of the interview process. If you're able to prove you're the best candidate for the internship position and understand what's expected of you as a serious candidate, you'll have the most leverage. You may harm your chance of securing the internship if you try to negotiate too early.
It's essential not to try and counter the offer more than once or twice. You also don't want to revisit the compensation package if you've already agreed on it, which will show you have boundaries and respect your employer's time.
If your employer presents the initial offer by phone, it's fine to request a little time to consider the offer and, if needed, let them know you're excited about the internship opportunity and grateful for the offer. Then, give them a set time frame for when you'll likely get back to them. Ideally, you don't want to make it more than 48 hours.
If you find the internship negotiation process intimidating, you can rest assured that DoNotPay can help make the negotiation process much easier for you.
How to Negotiate Your Salary With DoNotPay
All you have to do is:
- Search “negotiate my salary” on DoNotPay.
- Enter the name of your company and the industry you work in, so we can find the right wage statistics for your role.
- Answer a series of questions regarding your qualifications and achievements, relocation expenses, and other job offers if applicable.
- Enter the new base salary you would like to request.
And that's it! Once the information is finalized, DoNotPay will generate an official salary negotiation letter that you can then email or present to your employer.
It's not enough to just ask for a higher salary or raise. There are various components to it that DoNotPay can help you with, including:
- How to ask for a raise
- How to ask for a raise in an email
- When you should ask for a raise
- How much of a raise you should ask for
- How often should you receive a raise
Why Use DoNotPay to Negotiate Salary and Benefits
Taking advantage of DoNotPay's "Negotiate Salary" product will provide you with several benefits. DoNotPay is:
- Fast: You won't have to spend hours of your time attempting to set the negotiation meeting up with your employer. DoNotPay will create an negotiation letter for you that you can present to your employer.
- Easy: DoNotPay takes the hard work out of crafting the best negotiation letter.
- Successful: You'll receive successful internship salary negotiation results with the help of DoNotPay.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
Helping you isn't the only thing that DoNotPay can help you with. DoNotPay provides a whole range of other services, including:
- Helping you to cancel things
- Reducing your property taxes
- Obtaining refunds and chargebacks
- Fighting discrimination in the workplace
You no longer have to figure out on your own. DoNotPay is here to help you through the entire process, so you walk away with the best internship salary possible.