• Loonwijzer.nl (Netherlands)
• Intermediair.nl (Netherlands)
• Glassdoor.com (International)
It’s also useful to ask around among friends and colleagues to see what’s reasonable. Once you’ve reached an appropriate figure, however, your prep work still isn’t done. To be fully prepared you need to understand some other specifics around salaries in the Netherlands.
Salaries are usually expressed per year and include compensation for holidays (but not your Christmas bonus, if applicable). Your salary figure is based on a full workweek and this is still the case for a part-time job. So if, for instance, you work an 80% workweek, multiply the salary presented by 80% to get your specific salary.
In the Netherlands, a gross minimum salary is stipulated by the law and varies for youth, based on their age. The minimum yearly salary for an adult age 23 or older is €18093.60 (based on a full working week), and is the 3rd highest in Europe, behind Belgium and Luxemburg.
Although salaries are relatively high in the Netherlands, income tax levels are also high. For example, an employee who earns €3000 gross would normally take home around €2150 net. Salaries are usually quoted 'gross' (before tax deduction) when negotiations are underway, so remember to investigate how much you’ll lose in tax to get the net amount.
Beyond knowing the specifics of your (potential) salary itself, it’s also important to know how to actually conduct yourself in negotiations. Here are some tips on how to negotiate a salary:
• If possible, determine beforehand who you will be negotiating with. Remember, you’ll have to work with the people you’re negotiating with in some capacity, so keep this relationship in mind – especially if they’ll work close to you.
• Make yourself more valuable with clear and convincing arguments that describe why you are worth the money instead of why you need it.
• Be empathic and try to understand that the person you’re negotiating with might not have more money to offer you. In these situations, it helps to suggest alternative ways of compensation such as a flexible work schedule, equipment for a home office, a company car, or more vacation time.
• Communicating well is key. Ensure everyone is clear on exactly what you want and remember non-verbal communication speaks volumes so be controlled and confident, not obnoxious or arrogant.
• Lastly, don’t give up too easily but also don’t push too hard – it might leave you empty handed!
Taking the knowledge about salaries in the Netherlands and these tips on how to conduct yourself, you can enter salary negotiations confident, informed, and prepared for success.
By: Jerry Grimes