Negotiating Salary

From the first interview with a company, it is important to communicate how your experience, skills, and accomplishments will benefit an organization. As an employer becomes more interested in you as a candidate, they may be more willing to negotiate with you after an initial offer.

• It is important that you first understand the negotiation process. The purpose of a negotiation is to reach a mutual agreement between you and the employer. It should in no way be confrontational.
• You should avoid discussing salary until you have been offered the position or until an employer brings the subject up. The employer may have concerns that you have “misplaced priorities” if you bring up the subject of salary too soon.
• Know your worth: Do your research and know the typical salary range for the role. Online resources such as Glassdoor.com, Vault.com, Salary.monster.com or bls.gov can help you identify the typical salary range for a position.
• Provide evidence and information. It’s not enough to simply to request more. You need to be able to justify it and provide a reason for why you warrant a certain salary.
• It is not only about salary, benefits are part of the compensation package as well. You should consider the benefits including health insurance, a retirement savings plan, vacation/personal days, opportunities to grow professionally, travel, overtime pay, etc. Review the entire compensation package and just not the base salary before entering into negotiations.