All of us want to earn a little more for the work we do. In fact, most of us think we deserve to earn more. The problem, however, is that most of us are incapable of asking for it, even when we really deserve it. Negotiating for a pay increase is a subtle art that many people have never mastered or are simply too afraid to try.

Here are a few tips to help you get what you feel you deserve out of your job:

Know Your Worth
Many people take their own current salary as a baseline of what they can ask for. Instead of limiting yourself, do a little research and find out what other people in the same role as you are earning. You might find that you are worth more than you realise.

Pay To Keep You
Have you ever been approached to join another company? If you have, chances are you have kept this to yourself, but this can be useful in demonstrating your worth. If you have an external offer, you may want to consider being open about it with your company. Without giving away any details, let them know that you’ve received an attractive offer, but do not threaten or bluff. No employer wants to be given an ultimatum.

Think Big!
While they are rare, sometimes a situation will arise where you are offered a chance to move, but you are quite happy to stay where you are. If such is the case, it may not hurt to let this be known to your employer. While it is likely that the company will tell you that they cannot meet that expectation, you might be surprised with the counter offer that they come back with. You’re worth it!

Everything is a Negotiation
When negotiating, play your cards close to the chest and be smart. Don’t worry about being confident. Remember that you have a responsibility to yourself to be the best that you can.

Trust Your Instincts
While it is good to get some advice from a recruiter such as Adecco (if you are being headhunted) don’t rely too heavily on it and go with your gut feeling. If you feel that you can better the negotiations, trust your gut instincts and shoot for the stars. Lastly, the thing to remember in any negotiation is to remain flexible, look at the whole package and not just at a single factor. Accepting a smaller increase could also include a guaranteed bonus or other forms of compensations that would boost the final number. So, now that you know, get out there and get what you’re worth.

Article contributed by Adecco Singapore ( www.adecco.com.sg )