If you’re offered a much-desired position at the company of your dreams, it may be tempting to agree to the offer right away. But don’t! Many managers expect perspective employees to negotiate their package, and even negotiating a small amount per month can offer big returns in the long run. Here are some tips for negotiating your salary in English.

Thank you for your offer.

No matter what your decision and what the package, make sure you give your thanks. You may also want to offer phrases such as, “I appreciate your consideration” and “I am honored that you have selected me.”

Hmm…

It’s often difficult to negotiate an offer once you’ve shown extreme interest in the job and satisfaction in the salary, so it’s best to start at the beginning. Instead of saying, “OK”, when you hear the salary figure, say “Hmmm…” This lets the hiring manager know you aren’t quite satisfied and can lead to immediate negotiations.

Based on my current salary…

Give a reason for your higher expectations. Maybe it’s based on your current salary, other job offers or statistics you’ve recently read about your field. Finish up the sentence with, “I had something a little higher in mind” or “I was expecting something within the 5 to 7,000 range.”

Can I let you know my final decision on Monday?

Hiring managers have been known to put the squeeze on, especially if they really want you, but don’t rush into decisions. Request at least several days to think through the decision. You can add, “I’m very interested in your company, but this will give me some time to make a more informed decision.”

I’ll take it!

When it comes down to the final decision, this is a fun and friendly way to accept an offer. If you had something more formal in mind, say “I’d like to formally accept your offer.” If, on the other hand, you don’t want the job, say, “After much consideration, I’m afraid I won’t be able to accept your offer.” Be sure to always give an answer, and to always be polite!

Business English to make people listen

Success in business requires confidence. When you’re doing business in a second language, though, it’s easy to sound uncertain. But don’t give up so soon! Even if you’re not sure of the words, you can still sound like you know what you’re talking about. The trick is in how you start your sentences. Get down to business with the following phrases and see the difference!

Let’s focus

When you’re leading a meeting, it’s crucial that you get everyone focused immediately. The best way to start is by making a direct statement. “The purpose of this meeting is to decide on the company logo.” Avoid indirect statements like, “Well, here’s the agenda,” or “Maybe we should get started.” You’ll lose people’s attention immediately.

Strong words

Your boss calls everyone into a meeting to discuss a problem and asks for your suggestions. Frame your response with “I recommend …” or “In my opinion ….” In addition, to come across as authoritative, use “should” as opposed to “could” as it is stronger. “In my opinion, we should consider different vendors” is much stronger than “Maybe we could think about different vendors.”

Talk tough

When you need to use even stronger language than above, begin with “I’m positive that ? or “I really feel that ? Saying, “I’m positive that it’s the vendor’s fault” expresses to the listener that you are absolutely sure. It says, “I’m sure, so you should be sure, too!” A less confident way would be to say, “John in Marketing said it could be the vendor’s fault. I thought he had a good point.”

Moving on

Business discussions have a way of getting off track. So you need a tactful way to refocus people. If you sense a discussion is wandering ?whether it’s in a big meeting or an informal chat between colleagues ?you can say, “Let’s move on to the next point.” This ensures you maintain control of the discussion ?as long as you don’t start with “Maybe” or “Um.”

Speak up

Sometimes you just have to disagree. And it’s easy to be ignored if you don’t express your disagreement effectively. “I’m afraid I can’t agree with this plan” is a polite, but clear, way to start. It’s much better than, “Well, I’m not sure; it doesn’t seem like it will work.”

Business English you should know

Can you stay on top of all the English at your workplace? Or do you feel you’re behind in your language learning? English is the international business language, but not all of it is straightforward. Here are some terms you might hear at your office.

Stay on top of
If you’re feeling overwhelmed in your job, you’re probably not staying on top of your work. This means to stay in control, and not get behind or let your work pile up.

On the ball
This phrase comes from the sports field. When you are on the ball, you have to be alert and in charge. “Make sure you are on the ball with those reports.” The opposite is to drop the ball, which would mean not completing an assignment and letting down the people you work with.

Think outside the box
Many employers expect their staff to think creatively and approach projects in new and different ways. In this phrase, the box signifies conventional wisdom, or what is already known. Thinking outside the box suggests coming up with new and innovative methods. “For this marketing project, we need to think outside the box.”

Get the ball rolling
This idiom means to start something and set it in motion. “Let’s get the ball rolling on this project.” Once you’re off to a great start, you may express your desire to keep the ball rolling.

Brainstorm
This means to spend time thinking up lots of ideas. Many companies may hold brainstorming sessions to tackle problems and dream up new ideas. “Let’s brainstorm new ideas for the advertising campaign.”

Pull strings
What happens when you pull the strings to a puppet? It does what you want it to do. This phrase means to go beyond what is normally done to make something happen. “It will be difficult to talk with her. You may have to pull some strings with her department.”

Multi-tasking
Are you good at multi-tasking or doing multiple tasks at the same time? “This week we need you to write a report, make a presentation, and review last year’s earnings. I hope you can multi-task!” It still means you only get paid one salary though!

Bite off more than you can chew
If you take on too much work, you may not be able to do it all properly. “He’s working late every night. He bit off more than he could chew.”

Downtime
Are there periods of time where you don’t have much work to do? Where your job is just not as busy? That time is called downtime. “If you have some downtime this week, please brainstorm some ideas for our next team outing.”