Positioning yourself as a valuable asset to your potential employer and negotiating your new salary and package is a critical part of the interview and selection process. The way you approach the subject and handle the discussion will determine not only your income at the start but also the potential for that income to grow as you achieve certain objectives within the company.

How much are you worth? 

Most people have a top price –the salary they desire – and a bottom price – the minimum they’re prepared to accept. Negotiation involves selling yourself at just the right level so that you don’t price yourself out of the market but don’t go too cheap either. The most important thing to remember is that your starting salary will place you at a level you can build on – if you enter the organisation too far down the pay structure, it will be harder to increase your income as future percentage rises will be based on that starting point.

5 tips for negotiating your HVAC sales salary 

1. Remember you’re a salesman – When you apply for a job you’re effectively selling yourself so by negotiating your package successfully you’re demonstrating your sales skills to your new employer.
2. Do your research – Get to know the company and industry well. There may be published research that gives an indication of average salaries. Thornhvac is currently compiling its own research on HVAC sales salaries with a view to informing employers and job candidates.
3. Be ready to talk money – If you are applying through a specialist HVAC recruiter you will discuss salary expectations with your recruitment consultant at the very start of the selection process. This is a useful exercise that helps clarify the details in your mind before the subject crops up in interview.
4. Look at the whole picture – Salary isn’t the whole story. Your package is likely to include a bonus structure and other employee benefits that you’ll need to take into consideration and evaluate alongside the salary offer.
5. Career progression – Employers may want to offer a lower initial salary as part of a structured scale that offers incremental rises once certain targets have been achieved. This is designed to incentivise the new employee and can also be an excellent way of negotiating a larger salary in the medium term as a reward for high performance.

Playing your trump card

The HVAC market is skills and knowledge driven so if you have experience with certain sectors or technology that may be of benefit to your potential new employer this will give you extra negotiating power. When salary negotiations are underway, remember to reiterate the benefits you can bring to the organisation, even if you have already mentioned these earlier in the interview process.