Salary negotiation in Austria: what the latest data shows
Almost half of people are dissatisfied with their salary
In brief: How do you negotiate salary successfully?
A successful salary negotiation starts with preparation. Research your market value, define your target salary and collect concrete examples of your achievements, responsibilities and added value. During the conversation, focus on your contribution rather than simply asking for more money. If the employer cannot offer a higher base salary, consider alternatives such as bonuses, additional vacation days, home office, flexible working arrangements or a fixed date for a salary review.
Salary negotiation in Austria: Half of people are dissatisfied with their salarys
Salary remains an important topic for employees in Austria. According to the StepStone Salary Report 2025, 55% of Austrian employees feel underpaid, while only 42% consider their salary appropriate.
Salary negotiations themselves remain uncomfortable for many employees: 53% say they feel uncomfortable negotiating a pay rise. Only 25% had actively asked for a salary increase within the previous 12 months.
At the same time, 36% of employees reported receiving a salary increase, with an average increase of 8%.
Knowing your market value and preparing for the conversation therefore remains one of the most important steps before negotiating your salary. Dissatisfaction with salary is one of the strongest motivators for changing jobs in early 2025, as revealed by our turn-of-the-year Schulmeister survey “New year, new job?”
In this context, salary negotiations are becoming increasingly important. They offer the opportunity to improve one's income and increase personal appreciation within the company. Good preparation and awareness of one's own market value are crucial in this regard.
10 tips for your next salary negotiation
In most cases, before a salary negotiation even takes place in an employment relationship, you need to be proactive. But how often is it common to ask for a salary discussion? The rule of thumb is that negotiating salary once a year is fine. If you are new to the job, this question is unnecessary for the first salary negotiation anyway.
We'll show you what to look out for when preparing for the interview and at the appointment itself.
1. WAIT FOR THE APPROPRIATE TIME
Not every moment is the right one for salary negotiations. Of course, if you're just starting out in your job or you're changing jobs, you can't necessarily choose the right time for the interview. But if you are looking for a salary increase, the timing is important.
For example, you should not confront your superior during a stressful phase. Better: You were instrumental in the success of a project that has just been completed? Perfect timing! This way, both parties go into the interview with a good feeling.
2. PREPARE YOURSELF AND YOUR ARGUMENTS IN DETAIL
The be-all and end-all in the run-up to a salary negotiation is preparation. What have you achieved, what qualifications do you have, what are you particularly good at? In the existing employment relationship, you should have successful projects and your value for the company in your luggage. If you can also show concrete success figures, it is of course even better.
3. KNOW YOUR VALUE
There are now various portals and websites that show you exactly how much you can earn in which job, where and in which position. We at Schulmeister can also show you what salary is possible at which point in your career.
So before you go into the salary discussion - especially when you are just starting out - know your value. This way you can better determine what is an appropriate salary for your job and your performance. StepStone has developed a little helper for this: With the online salary calculator from Stepstone, you can find out approximately how much you can ask for
4. DON'T BE AFRAID AND BE CONFIDENT
Easier said than done: Be self-confident and get rid of the nervousness before the salary interview. The more you get into these situations, the more experienced you will become. Realise that it is a normal situation for the person on the other side of the table and go into the negotiation relaxed and with the necessary amount of self-confidence.
After all, you have nothing to lose. Especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers, talented employees are desperately needed.
5. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR RHETORIC
There are lots of rhetorical tricks you can use in a salary interview. The first tip is to avoid the term "salary increase". It sounds demanding - the word "salary adjustment", on the other hand, triggers a feeling of appropriateness.
Also, try to elicit a "yes" from your counterpart as often as possible before you get to the all-important salary question. Also, stay calm and don't speak too quickly. This is how you radiate confidence and that you know what you want.
6. SET THE FIRST ANCHOR
Once you have received a few affirmations and the small talk is coming to an end, it's time to get down to business. Take the initiative and set the first anchor in front of your boss when it comes to the amount of your desired salary.
7. THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THE NUMBERS YOU NAME
It has been psychologically proven that a high, not entirely serious anchor works. Set an ambitious but defensible anchor based on market data, your experience and the responsibilities of the role. It's important to mention such a high figure casually and in small talk.
Remember one of the first tips? Know your value. It's rarely a round number. Demonstrate with an exact figure, for example 42,460 euros, that you have given it a lot of thought and researched it online.
8. DO NOT ACCEPT THE FIRST COUNTEROFFER
Normally, your counterpart will now come up with an initial salary proposal. This is often far below what you have in mind. Important: If the other party counters your first figure with another, significantly lower offer, stay cool.
Don't feel pressured to accept or reject a counteroffer immediately. Compare it with your target salary, your minimum acceptable compensation and the overall package.
Tip: Do not accept the first numerical counterattack offer that comes your way. The negotiation really starts now. Most of the time it will not go back and forth like a bazaar. However, stand firm and do not jump too far in the direction of the other side's proposal.
9. BE FLEXIBLE
There is no salary increase or your demand for the desired starting salary is not met? It happens. But stay flexible. What about tax-free meal allowances, special leave, flexible working, travel allowances and other benefits for you? Your counterpart will usually agree to some of these.
10. PRACTISE TALKING IN PRIVATE
The last tip is one that always helps: practice, practice, practice. If you are unsure about how to approach the salary negotiation, talk it over with friends, your partner or other confidants. Simulate different conversation scenarios so you are prepared for all eventualities.
Ready for the next salary jump?
You are not sure what your current market value is before your next job change or salary negotiation? Upload your CV and our Schulmeister consultants will help you better understand your career options, salary range and next possible step.
FAQ: Salary Negotiation
A successful salary negotiation starts with preparation. Research the market salary for your role, define a realistic target and collect examples of your achievements, responsibilities and added value. During the conversation, explain your expectations clearly and support them with concrete arguments rather than focusing only on the amount you would like to earn.
Good opportunities include starting a new job, taking on additional responsibilities, completing an important project successfully or during an annual performance review. If you are already employed, choose a time when you can clearly demonstrate your contribution to the company. Avoid raising the topic during particularly stressful periods or when the company is facing major financial difficulties.
There is no single percentage that applies to every salary negotiation. The appropriate amount depends on your current salary, experience, responsibilities, industry, location and market value. Before naming a figure, research comparable salaries and define both your desired salary and the minimum offer you would be willing to accept.
Naming the first figure can be useful if you have researched your market value well. It establishes an initial reference point for the negotiation. Your salary expectation should nevertheless be ambitious but realistic and supported by market data, your experience and the responsibilities of the position.
Yes. Receiving a job offer is often one of the best opportunities to negotiate salary because the employer has already decided that they would like to hire you. Thank the company for the offer, review the complete compensation package and explain your salary expectations professionally before accepting the position.
Focus on your contribution rather than simply saying that you would like to earn more. Mention relevant achievements, additional responsibilities, specialist knowledge or measurable results and connect these points to your salary expectation. A possible formulation is: “Based on my experience, the responsibilities of the role and current market salaries, I consider a salary of X appropriate.”
Salary is only one part of the overall compensation package. If a higher base salary is currently not possible, you can discuss alternatives such as additional vacation days, flexible working arrangements, home office, training budgets, bonuses or other benefits. You can also agree on a specific date to review your salary again.
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