Leaving the military and stepping into the civilian workforce is a big transition, with many different things you need to consider. Negotiating salary is one of these, and when you’re used to clear progression and salary expectations, it can be a bit of a minefield.
Before we dig into it, remember your military experience has given you a top-tier skillset worth A LOT in the civilian world. But translating that value into a salary requires understanding the civilian market benchmarks and being smart about how you showcase your worth.
Crack the Salary Landscape
Research. This may seem like an obvious one, but make sure you’ve done your research into general benchmarks for the role you’re going for. Check out resources like Glassdoor, Indeed, Payscale, and salary reports for your industry, location, and role. It will at least give you an idea of what you’re looking at. Speaking to other people who feel comfortable sharing their salaries is also helpful; just make sure you’re understanding if they don’t want to share.
Don't just look at titles. In the civilian world, they can be a bit random; one person's manager is another person's executive. To get an idea of the seniority of the role you’re going for, focus on the responsibilities and experience levels. Networking with people in the business can help, too. You’ll find people are happy to chat and give you important company insights.
Work out your value: Combine your research with an honest assessment of your skills, education, and relevant experience. Using LinkedIn is helpful here; see what other people with similar experience are doing. Then, you can work out where you fall within the salary ranges. This becomes your baseline.
Consider the whole package. Salary is crucial, but it's only one element of compensation. Many companies offer private health, gym memberships, travel compensation, and other benefits that can improve your financial health.
Make your military skills serve you
Translate them. Military terminology can get lost on hiring managers, so spell it out. Chat with people with similar military experience and see how they frame it. Emphasise leadership, problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork—these skills are celebrated on civvie street.
Put a number on it. Forget just listing duties, back your statements with numbers and results. How many people were in your team? How much time did you save when you streamlined a process? What budget did you hold? You get the picture.
Highlight the military mindset. We bet you’re reliable, work with integrity and are resilient. So make sure you show this off on your CV or application. It might seem obvious, but not everyone in the civilian workforce operates like this.
Negotiation
Always aim high, but be realistic. Set your target salary range slightly above your market value; this will give you room to negotiate.
Confidence. Explain why you want this salary, and demonstrate your worth as you might be asked to explain why you want the salary.
Let them go first. If possible, let the employer make the initial offer. This will give you valuable insights into their budget. If you have to go first, always offer the top end of the salary you’re after.
You can counteroffer. Just make sure it’s reasonable, and you can justify it. Most employers expect a counteroffer and some negotiation. If salary is a non-mover, consider asking for other benefits.
Lean on network
Use people around you who have been there and done it. Ask for negotiation tips and help getting a handle on your market value.
Remember, you’re a valuable asset to any company, so do your homework and confidently go into any negotiations.
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