How to negotiate salary in Norway

Prepare: find out what the market pays

Before you negotiate salary, you need to know what the role usually pays. Otherwise the number you give is a guess, and the employer almost always knows more about pay levels than you do. Start with the salary statistics from Statistics Norway (SSB), which show pay by occupation, and look at figures for full-time employees in the same type of role. Check whether the trade union (fagforening) for your field runs a salary survey among its members, and ask people you know in the industry what is normal.

These figures are a starting point, but they need adjusting. Experience, education, responsibility, sector and where in the country the job is all affect the right level for you. Read more in the guide on what the right salary is.

Decide on three numbers before the conversation: the figure you ask for, the figure you realistically hope to get, and the lowest salary you can accept. You never say the last one out loud, but it helps you stay calm when the employer comes back with a counter-offer.

When to bring up salary for a new job

The best time to negotiate pay for a new job is after you have received an offer but before you have signed. At that point you know they want you, and the employer has already spent time and money finding you. That gives you more leverage than in the first interview.

Many employers still ask about salary expectations early, sometimes in the application form itself. If so, give a level based on your research and say that it depends on the overall package. If the job ad says salary is by agreement (etter avtale), that is a sign there is room to negotiate.

Try not to raise salary before you know what the job really involves. Ask about responsibilities, tasks and expectations first. If you get a verbal offer by phone, it is perfectly normal to thank them and ask for it in writing before you reply.

How to negotiate salary: name a specific number

Give a specific figure rather than a wide range. If you say “between NOK 600,000 and NOK 680,000”, the employer usually only hears the lower number. If you do give a range, make sure the bottom of it is the salary you actually want.

Aim a little above your target so you have room to come down. Say you want NOK 640,000 a year. You could then ask for NOK 670,000 and justify it with your experience and the responsibility in the role. A figure far above what the market pays weakens your position, so stay within what you can defend.

Be clear about what the number covers. Talk about yearly pay before tax, and check whether allowances, bonus or commission come on top. If you are used to thinking in hourly or monthly pay, you can convert it in the hourly pay calculator. Once you have said your number, resist the urge to fill the silence. Let the employer answer first.

What to say: phrases you can use

You do not need a script, but it helps to have a few sentences ready. Keep the tone friendly and factual, and always link your request to what you contribute in the job, not to what you need privately. Here are examples you can adapt:

• “Thank you for the offer, I am very motivated for this role. Before I reply, I would like to talk a little about the salary.”
• “Based on my experience and the responsibility in this role, I am looking for a yearly salary of NOK 670,000.”
• “I have looked at salary statistics for similar roles, and the offer is somewhat below that level.”
• “Is there room to adjust the salary, or could we look at other parts of the offer?”
• “If we can agree on NOK 650,000, I can accept today.”
• “Could we agree on a new salary review after the probation period?”

Negotiate more than salary

If the employer will not move on salary, you can often win on other points, and some of them are worth a lot of money over a year. Whatever you agree, make sure it is written into the contract or confirmed in writing. These are points that are often open to negotiation:

• Pension: Employers must pay at least 2% of salary into the mandatory occupational pension (OTP), but many pay more. Each percentage point is worth NOK 6,500 a year on a salary of NOK 650,000.
• Holidays: The Holiday Act (ferieloven) gives 25 working days, which is four weeks and one day. Many agreements give five weeks, and it is worth asking.
• Working from home: Fixed days at home save you commuting time and travel costs.
• Training and development: A budget for further education, certifications or conferences.
• Start date, working hours and day-to-day flexibility.
• Phone, broadband and equipment for working from home.
• An agreed salary review after the probation period, which can last up to six months.

The pay review in the job you already have

In a permanent job, the annual pay review is often what decides how your salary develops. Prepare as thoroughly as you would for a new job. Write down what you have delivered in the past year: results, new tasks, responsibility you have taken on, and things you have done better or faster. Concrete examples carry more weight than general claims that you work hard.

Check what the market pays for your role today, not when you started. If your tasks have grown, that is a strong argument for more than the usual increase. Try to raise salary before next year's budget is set, because that makes it easier for your manager to find room.

If the answer is no, ask what it would take to reach the level you want, and agree when you will discuss it again. If you have been underpaid for a long time, it may be right to look elsewhere. The guide on changing jobs can help you with the next step.

Collective agreements and trade unions

If your workplace is bound by a collective agreement (tariffavtale), much of your pay is set by that agreement. Pay is negotiated every year in the wage settlement, and the frame is often set by the competitive export industry, known as the frontfag. Many collective agreements also include local negotiations, where union representatives (tillitsvalgte) negotiate with the employer on behalf of the staff.

That does not mean you cannot negotiate. When you are hired, there may be room for a higher placement on the pay scale, for example by having more of your experience recognised. If you are a union member, you can get advice on pay levels, help reading your contract and support from union representatives. In some industries, such as construction and cleaning, the collective agreement has been declared generally applicable, so its minimum pay applies to everyone who works there.

How Selja can help you negotiate salary

In the Salary check at Selja you can see typical pay for the role, based on figures from SSB and adjusted for experience, education, sector and level. You also see whether a salary offer is poor, standard or good, and you can paste in the job ad to get a level to negotiate from. The Salary check is free.

If you have two offers, you can use Compare job offers in Pro and Premium. You upload both offers and see what each one is worth per year, with pension, holidays and other terms included.