When most people go into a potential job interview or job negotiation, they tend to first think about salary. Yes, salary is a great thing to think about and negotiate for, but there are also plenty of other benefits out there that everyone tends to forget about.
The average benefits package makes up for around 20% to 30% of a person’s overall “salary,” so it’s very surprising that people don’t fight for other work benefits.
Below are work benefits that you should be asking for. All of the below won’t apply to everyone, but some may be able to apply to your and your position.
Vacation days.
Do you have enough vacation days? Most people would probably say no. You should look more into what the average person receives in your industry, in your position, and at your specific company.
Health insurance.
Health insurance is one of the obvious benefits to negotiate for. You may ask for better benefits, or you may ask that you pay less each month.
Transportation.
When I say transportation, I mean both cars and/or gas. I know someone who had a company car and also received a very LARGE amount for gas each month as well. I think it was somewhere around $1,000, and it was nowhere what they really needed in order to get places. However, the company didn’t care and gave it to them anyways.
I also know people who received a new car every few months, and also received free gas whenever they wanted it. Then, if they turned down the car and decided to drive their own, then they would receive around $400 to $500 a month in reimbursement so that they could put the money back into their own pocket. Must be nice to be them!
Cell phone.
More and more companies are giving out cell phones to their employees. If you can prove that having a cell phone is actually important so that you can do your job, then you may be able to ask for one as well.
A flexible schedule.
There are multiple things that you can ask for when it comes to negotiating for a flexible schedule. You could ask for:
- Less days. For example, you could ask if you could still work your normal 40 hour work week but instead of going in 5 days a week, just work 4 ten-hour long days.
- Work from home. You can ask if you can work from home every now and then.
- Flexible hours. You can ask if your workday can vary by a few hours each day instead of having a strict 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule Monday through Friday.
Help.
One thing that more and more people are starting to ask for is actual help. This is usually in the form of an assistant. An assistant can be a lifesaver, and if you have a high enough position, then it actually may be possible realistic to ask for an assistant.
What benefits have you negotiated for? What is important to you?
Leave a Reply