Salary increase in france: our tips for your negotiation

Whether during a job interview or after a longer period of employment, many candidates or. Employees uncomfortable to pay. How can you cleverly address the issue of money and what remuneration is the French employer willing to offer at all?? Is the position to be filled "fairly paid" Or, as part of a reassignment, salary is to be adjusted downward? We tell you how to successfully negotiate your salary with your future employer or negotiate a salary increase in France in your current company.

1. Beware, because not all salaries are negotiable

In France, professionals are divided into different occupational groups, called categories socioprofessionnelles.

Employee (employe)

professions which belong to the category "employe" are often subject to collective bargaining agreements (convention collective), which are determined each year in collective bargaining between employers' associations and unions. However, the trend is towards maximum individualization of compensation.

Salary differences among employees who occupy the same position can develop over time and are influenced by factors such as length of service or annual reviews (entretiens annuels). During these one-on-one meetings, past tasks are gone over in detail so that an employee can enjoy a raise, depending on their level of success, setting them apart from their peers.

This occupational group includes:

• Civilian employees and public service agents (employes civils et agents de service de la fonction publique)
• Policemen and military (policiers et militaires)
• Administrative employees in companies (employes administratifs d'entreprise)
• Commercial employees (employes de commerce)
• Persons employed in direct services to individuals (personnels des services directs aux particuliers)

Intermediate professions (professions intermediaires)

If you fall into the "professions intermediaires" category If you are a middle manager, which is the case with many middle management jobs, your salary negotiation may be fruitful, although salaries are usually based on pay scales.

Often you are expected to achieve defined goals. These objectives will be discussed and defined at the end of the fiscal year and will be awarded a premium depending on the level of achievement. So if you meet 50%, 75% or 100% of the target, you will receive a corresponding success or annual bonus, usually equivalent to one, two or even three gross monthly wages.

This professional group includes:

• Teacher (professeurs des ecoles, instituteurs et assimiles)
• Intermediate professions in health care and social work (professions intermediaires de la sante et du travail social)
• Clergy (clerge, religieux)
• Intermediate professions in public service administration (professions intermediaires administratives de la fonction publique)
• Intermediate administrative and commercial professions in companies (professions intermediaires administratives et commerciales des entreprises)
• Technicians (techniciens)
• Foremen, master craftsmen (contremaîtres, agents de maîtrise)

Senior executive (cadres et professions intellectuelles superieures)

As a senior executive in France (cadres), salary negotiations are particularly rewarding and often promising. At the same time, however, it is important to follow a few important rules to ensure that the interview is successful.

This occupational group includes:

• Liberal professions (professions liberales)
• Senior employees in the public service (cadres de la fonction publique)
• Professors, scientific professions (professeurs, professions scientifiques)
• Professions in information, arts and entertainment (professions de l'information, des arts et des spectacles)
• Administrative and commercial managers in companies (cadres administratifs et commerciaux d'entreprise)
• Engineers and technical managers in companies (ingenieurs et cadres techniques d'entreprise)

Other professions in France

The other occupational groups are farmers (agriculteurs exploitants), craftsmen, traders and heads of companies (artisans, commercants et chefs d'entreprise), workers (ouvriers), pensioners (retraites) and other non-active persons (autres personnes sans activite professionnelle).

2. How to estimate your French salary in the best possible way

Be aware of the regional differences in France in terms of salaries! For example, Paris often offers higher salaries than the rest of France due to the high cost of living. There, the pay can be 1.5 to twice as high.

Before negotiating your salary, it's a good idea to find out what the going rate is for your position so that you don't make a mistake during the interview.

You should also prepare an overview of your monthly expenses; your future salary should of course be able to cover them. At least you know how much you should earn at least.

In order to be best prepared for the salary negotiation in France, it would be even more helpful to talk to someone in the same position as you. Here is how you will be able to assess your market value more accurately.

3. This is how you can best prepare for salary negotiations in France

Unfortunately, there is no powerful standard argument that can justify a high salary or a good job. can guarantee a salary increase. It is most important to understand the wage and salary structure of the establishment. However, few employees have more accurate information about the salary structure, and employees often have misconceptions about what they can really ask for.

You should be able to correctly assess your own role in the company. In a leading position, on which the success or reorganization of the company depends, there is no reason not to ask for a salary increase.

However, if you do not play a leading role in the company, the situation is more difficult. Sometimes it helps to look outside your employer and look for alternatives: Bring rare qualifications with you? Are candidates in your position currently in high demand on the job market??

4. Our tips for successfully negotiating your salary

During a job interview, never talk about salary first.

Apart from the fixed salary, you should also be aware of other salary components. Popular benefits and perks among employees in France include:

• Premiums
• Automatic salary increases
• Christmas bonus
• 13. Monthly salary
• Company car
• Additional insurance
• Special features of the collective agreement, etc.

Let the HR manager come up with the topic and wait for his proposal to sound out how much he is really willing to pay. Another advantage is that this approach will help you better understand the difficulties and responsibilities associated with your job, and thus correctly assess the appropriate salary.

If the HR manager should ask you what your salary expectations are, it is best to share a salary range, not a precise amount. don't forget the basic principle: if you let your interlocutor speak first, he may offer you more than you would have expected!

Talk only about your last salary if you were best paid at that time. If this has not been the case, you might give the impression that you accept a lower salary, so that you sell yourself below value.

If the annual salary is far below your salary expectations, you should rather speak in monthly salaries. This will make the total seem less high, and you may find it easier to get your desired salary.

If you conduct the interview skillfully and refer to concrete results you have achieved in your job, you will significantly improve the chance of receiving a salary increase in France.