Negotiating with your employer can be daunting for professionals everywhere, not just in the business aviation industry.
Whether you’re negotiating a salary, a bonus, guaranteed days off, work-life balance or any important aspect of your job, coming to the table with a smart strategy at the right time can make all the difference between failure and success.
If you’re seen as a valuable employee, you already have a leg up. “It’s in the company’s best interest to retain you,” said Jenny Showalter of Orlando-based Showalter Business Aviation Career Coaching. “Negotiations can be difficult. Preparation increases your chance for a positive outcome.”
“You have to know exactly what you’re asking for and be able to make it clear,” said Julia Harrington, lead captain and base manager for Axis Jet at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK). “Be specific about your ask. Have a very specific ‘why.’”
Also, timing matters – a lot. Should you bring up a negotiation in a less formal situation – after hours or at a social function? “Absolutely not,” said Sheryl Barden, CAM, CEO at Savannah-based Aviation Personnel International. “It should be a clear conversation in the office. Do not take your boss by surprise.”
“Give them the benefit of a heads-up,” said Showalter. “It has to be when it works for your manager.”
No Ultimatums and Bring Data to the Table
“Be very clear about what you’re looking for,” Barden said. “Know what you are trying to achieve. You need to show professional maturity, and avoid any kind of threat, as ultimatums are not going to get you anywhere.”
You may want to initiate a discussion during an employee review, Showalter said.
And “bring backup,” she added. “By that I mean a solid record including your accomplishments, growth and the initiatives you’ve driven, a list of your successes and your achievements, a paper trail of what you’ve done. It’s like bringing a resume to a job interview.
“Have data,” Barden said. “Know what’s important to you and to the organization.”A useful tool is NBAA’s Compensation Survey, a comprehensive review of business aviation personnel salaries and benefits that NBAA members can use to determine if their compensation matches their peers or is due for a boost.
Harrington suggests fleshing out your negotiation ideas thoroughly first with friends and mentors, and consider utilizing NBAA Young Professionals in Business Aviation (YoPro) resources.
Key Tactic: Change the ‘Shape of the Deal’
Barden underscores the value of “changing the shape of the deal.” If a manager, for example, lacks the money for a salary boost, perhaps a bonus from a different budget might make you happy. Maybe an extra vacation week might do in lieu of a raise.
When talking money, “You don’t want to be the first one to give out a number,” said Barden. “Let them show their cards first. Let them put out the number and you respond to it.”
In any case, “it’s not about winning or losing, it’s about something that works for both sides of the table,” Barden said. “Make sure everyone wins.”
Let your boss know that you’re willing to compromise to reach your negotiating goal. “Having something to concede on is good,” said Barden. “Always know what your bottom line is.”
Be Aware of Company Policies
It’s also important to understand that flight operations at large companies are bound by their rules and policies. There are compensation and internal equity issues that they must adhere to. Managers at smaller operators may have more limited resources but tend to have more flexibility in making decisions.
“You need to understand not just what your boss’s limits are and what your boss values,” said Barden. “Stress the fact that you’re a highly engaged employee. Help the boss understand why what you need ultimately wins for the company.”
Negotiating for Work-Life Balance
Although every situation is different, money and work-life balance are integrated, Harrington said, adding that companies that want to retain top talent need to provide both.
In fact, Harrington knows a bit about negotiating for work-life balance. When she was beginning to grow her family, she was the only female pilot at Axis Jet. As a small company with fewer than 50 employees, Axis wasn’t obligated to have a maternity leave policy, and it didn’t. Harrington was able to negotiate one for herself.
“It was a unique situation because the language of [the federal Family Medical Leave Act governing larger organizations] did not apply,” she said.
The bottom line? “Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself and know your worth,” Showalter said. “No one else is going to do that for you.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.