That’s how much you should add to your claim

Berlin Shortly before salary negotiations, uncertainty often arises: How much can I ask for? Answering this is a challenge for many employees – also because salaries are a well-kept secret in most German companies.

According to various salary guides, if the boss responds directly to your own demands, you have negotiated badly. No false modesty then? Only those who play high poker can win big? “That depends entirely on who is sitting across from you in the negotiation,” says negotiation trainer Claudia Kimich – you have to distinguish between four types.

Kimich advises specialists and executives and prepares around 150 customers a year for their salary discussions. And she knows: Depending on the type, a demand that is too high can quickly backfire. In the worst case, the competitor gets the job in the application process or there is a stale aftertaste for further cooperation. The Handelsblatt explains how best to proceed.