Understanding salary and negotiating an offer
6 min read
Salary conversations feel risky because they are usually unrehearsed. The fix is preparation: know what the role is worth, know what you need, and understand what the headline number actually includes before you respond to it.
Research the range before you name a number
Look at what comparable roles advertise. Job listings that publish a range — including those on this site — are the most direct evidence available. Talk to people doing similar work if you can; sector bodies and professional associations are often more candid than public sources.
Aim to walk in with a range rather than a single figure, and be able to explain why you are in it.
Read the whole package
A headline salary is not take-home pay, and two offers with the same number can be worth noticeably different amounts. Before comparing, establish what each one includes.
- Is the figure quoted gross or net, and monthly or annual?
- What is deducted, and what does the employer contribute?
- Are housing, transport or lunch allowances included, and are they part of the base or paid separately?
- Is there a medical scheme, and does it cover dependants?
- Is any part of the pay a bonus, and what has to happen for it to be paid?
Check your own deductions
Statutory deductions and contribution rates change, and they depend on your circumstances. Rather than relying on a figure quoted in an article, confirm the current position with the Zambia Revenue Authority and NAPSA, or ask the employer for an illustrative net figure in writing.
If a payslip breakdown is offered, take it. It answers most of these questions at once.
Negotiate on evidence, once
If the offer is below your range, say so plainly, give the figure you are looking for, and explain the reasoning — your experience, the market, or the scope of the role. Ask rather than demand, and be genuinely prepared to accept the answer.
If the salary is fixed, other things may not be: a review date, a title, training, or leave. Ask what has flexibility.
Get it in writing
Whatever is agreed, ask for the offer in writing before you resign from anything. A verbal agreement is not much use if the person you spoke to leaves, and no reasonable employer will object to putting it on paper.