Tips on Salary Negotiation - Part 1

When it comes time to accepting a job, most of us tend to take what we're offered, even though studies show that four our of five companies are willing and often expect to negotiate the salary in the end. Most of us may feel intimidated at the thought of trying to negotiate. "Am I asking too much, or too little?" - "will asking this much cause me to not get the job?" - and so we tend to not negotiate at all, and accept what is offered. Of course, that is a totally fine thing to do if the amount offered is in the range you are looking for, but what if it is not? There are some simple things to know about negotiating for your salary that may help you decide when and how to go about it.

Before entering into an interview to do the actual negotiating, it is good to prepare for the task. Over the next couple postings I wish to examine some of these steps to proper negotiating. First, it is good to do some research and figure out what a fair competitive value for your skills would be in today's job market. Find out what you are worth in the market by researching to discover what other similar organizations in your field are currently paying employees that are at approximately your skill level. When you begin negotiating, it is always best to have firm facts that your negotiations are based upon. There are various ways on the internet that you can research this information. Look for related job postings in your general region (see http://www.bls.gov/ to get started), and that can help you determine the average salary in your part of the country. If you have already established a good amount of contacts by networking, then ask around for information on what their company offers for a position like what you desire. Call some of the local colleges and trade schools, as they often have job placement departments that may be up on the going rates. Teachers from these schools may likewise know the going rates for their career field, so seek some of them out also. Watch for related job postings, and call and inquire on their rates, even if you are not applying with them. Local employment agencies would likewise have an insider's look on some of this information.

Once you have a general idea, it is then time to take a hard look at your worth to the company you are about to begin negotiating with. Do your skills make you the only candidate for the position, or would it be easy for them to find someone else with your skills? If you have skills that are unique, or that could be shown to be more profitable for the company, then you have something else to negotiate with.

Looking a little deeper, you can look at the size of the company, and their overall current profitability. Are they in a place where they could afford a higher salary for your position? Are they new, growing, or already well established and profitable?

These types of issues will help you assess how much of a range the company could probably afford to offer. These are some of the initial steps to consider before you enter into negotiating with a potential employer.

We will look at other tips next time. One last point, this negotiation process should always take place between the time they officially offer you the position, and before you accept the position. You must be sure that they are convinced you are best for the position, and a real offer has been placed before you, and then you can discuss these negotiations before confirming your acceptance of the position.

More to come... Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, and musician. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Customer Service Jobs blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.