Salary Negotiation Techniques
CONGRATULATIONS
- YOU HAVE THE JOB OFFER!
Now what?
The following are a few
points to consider on negotiating salary.
1. You are in the
best position to negotiate a salary after you
receive the job offer, but before you accept it.
2. Not all job salaries are negotiable.
3. It is considered unethical to accept
a job and salary and then immediately try to renegotiate
the salary.
4. To figure out the amount to
negotiate, do your homework:
a) Identify the
salary median and range for that type of job. In the
Career Center Resource Library you can find the
National Association of Colleges and Employers
(NACE) Salary Survey. This publication is put out
several times a year and offers salary information
for entry-level jobs.
b) There are also resources on the
Internet that may help. To negotiate with facts is
to negotiate with strength. BE REALISTIC!
c) Think about your salary
requirements, including rent, other financial
obligations (loans, etc.), and the cost of living in
your geographic area. What amount must you have to
live on?
5. The decision to negotiate is yours.
As your career within that organization continues, your
salary is not likely to increase rapidly. It is more
difficult to negotiate for a large increase in pay once
employed than it is to negotiate for a higher initial
starting salary. To decide, go back to #4 and do
research.
6. Try not to give your salary
requirements before being hired. Say "negotiable," but
know that on occasion you may be pushed for an amount.
If so, give a range based on your research. This will
allow room for negotiation when you do receive the
offer. Also, consider the "total compensation package"
when giving a range. For example, a lower salary may be
more acceptable if health insurance, vacation,
retirement, and tuition benefits are generous.
7. If you try to
negotiate the salary and are unsuccessful, remember that
you can still accept the position at the original offer
To negotiate: When
offered a position, try not to accept it on the spot (again,
the decision is yours. There may be times when an immediate
acceptance is warranted, e.g., you have all the details of
the job and you’re thrilled!). Instead, be enthusiastic
about the offer, but ask for time to make a decision. In
general, the more likely an employer is to hire recent
college graduates, the more likely you are to get a
reasonable length of time to decide.
Use the time to gather
information as recommended in #4 (if you haven’t already
done so.) Remember, you need to not only know the salary,
but also the benefits, vacation, health insurance plan, and
any other financially related information that will affect
your decision.
If you want to negotiate,
be upbeat in your interactions with the organization. Salary
negotiation can be a lesson in assertiveness training; if
you are uncomfortable at the thought of negotiating,
practice your technique and what you will say with a friend,
family member, or a career counselor first.
Remind the organization,
without seeming overly confident or arrogant, of what they
will be getting - what will you bring to the job?
Here are some lines
you may incorporate (there is no one right way to do
this):
"I am very interested
in your offer. I believe the position is an excellent
match for my skills and experience. Is there any
flexibility in the starting salary?"
"Is the salary
negotiable?"
"I’m thrilled to have
the offer; I was hoping for $_____."
"Having read
articles, I know/learned the median salary for _____ in
New York is ____."
"Can I let you know
on ____ (date)?"
"I was hoping for an
offer in the range of $____ to $____."
Remember, the employer
will probably choose a number at the low end. Books
recommend you choose a low end number that is 3-10% above
what you’d really accept.
Good luck! And remember –
Career Center counselors are happy to talk with you about
your negotiation strategy.
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