Salary, Raises, & Perks: Negotiate to Get Paid What Youre Worth!

Salary negotiation requires preparation and good timing. It's important to determine your salary needs and research the market value for the job you want. Timing is critical for negotiation. Discussing salary requirements too early in the interview process can jeopardize your chances of getting the salary you deserve. Failure to negotiate could result in losing money.

Market Value

The negotiation process begins by determining what salary you need. Prepare a detailed outline of your expenses. Next determine the market value of the job for which you are applying. Research similar positions with other companies and jobs requiring comparable experience. Information can be gathered from classified ads, competitors, informational interviews, and web sites.

Win-Win

Be polite and professional during negotiation. Try to impress to the employer that your goal is a win-win situation. It is your job to convince the employer that you are worth more than they are offering. Be prepared for objections by talking about how your past accomplishments benefited previous employers.

Wait

Never bring up salary until an offer has been extended. At that point, the employer has decided that you are the best person for the job, giving you bargaining power. If the employer brings up salary before an offer has been made, be prepared with a response. For example, "I need to know more about the job responsibilities before I can talk salary." If the position is newly created you could say, "Since this is a newly created, position, I'm sure you have a salary in mind."

Start Higher

When you have determined an acceptable salary, start negotiating higher than you think the employer wants to pay, and then go to a middle ground. If the employer offers you $50,000 and you want $55,000, ask for $58,000 and then work backward toward your target salary.

The employer may offer you some reasons for not wanting to give you the requested salary. Again, be prepared with a response. If the employer tells you their budget won't allow an increase, negotiate some perks such as flex-time or an early salary review. If the employer tells you that you would be earning more than others at that level, point out that you should earn more, because you're worth more. Another option is to ask for a different job title so that you'll fall into a higher salary range. Be sure to mention that you will take on some additional responsibilities to compensate for the higher salary.

Perks

If the employer can't increase the salary, be creative and look at other ways to boost your compensation package. You could ask for extra vacation days. Another option is to ask for an early salary review. Request that you be given a three-month review. If your performance is satisfactory, ask that you receive your annual raise at that time. Other options to consider include: a one time sign-on bonus, flex-time, or a shorter work week.

Get Paid What You're Worth

Why should you negotiate your salary? You have a right to be paid what you're worth and what the market supports. Records indicate that 60 percent of all negotiators get more than the initial offer. If you don't negotiate, you'll lose money, since each annual raise is based on the amount of your starting salary. For example, suppose you were hired at $30,000 per year, without negotiating. Had you negotiated you may have started at $32,000. Based on a five percent salary increase each year, you would lose more than $26,000 over ten years.

Finally, salary negotiation isn't reserved for the corporate world. People in all types of industries can successfully negotiate their salary. Remember, you are negotiating for your future!

Joan Runnheim, M.S., founder of Pathways Career Success Strategies [http://www.pathwayscareer.com ] in Hudson, WI, is a career consultant who helps individuals reach their career goals by developing an effective career development plan or job search strategy. As a career advisor for Monster.com, [http://forums.monster.com/forum.asp?forum=3560 ] Joan has been able to reach out to millions of people with her career-related articles and advice. To subscribe to her free bi-monthly newsletter "Strategies for Career Success" go to: [http://www.pathwayscareer.com] For more information call 715-549-6432. Email: joan@pathwayscareer.com

---

Which Half Are You?

When more than half of Americans were identified as overweight,... Read More

Personality Testing; Myth and Realities

It is commonly believed myth that personality testing instruments can... Read More

Medical Billing And Coding Profession

Medical billers and coders are in high demand among the... Read More

Handling the Dreaded Why Did You Leave? Question

If you left your last job under less-than-ideal circumstances, you... Read More

Six Sure-Fire Ways to Get Yourself a Pay Rise

Many employees do not care too much for their bosses... Read More

Online Business: The Underground Railroad for Corporate Escapees

Millions of people everyday spend eight hours or more in... Read More

The Night Worker

In the process of musing about our perennially awake world... Read More

Energizing Synergy

Would you like to have more energy and synergy in... Read More

How to Overcome Being Overqualified

Have you ever gone through the interview process, felt confident... Read More

Believe And Get Hired

Good things seem to come in bunches, especially in a... Read More

Become A Personal Trainer

Every human body is different and a personal trainer will... Read More

Five Powerful Tips for Interns

Interning is about more than earning money during summer break.... Read More

Petite Modeling: is There a Career for You?

PEtite modeling is a tough industry to break into. Especially... Read More

How To Win the Job-Hunting Game

When I got over the initial shock of being urged... Read More

Blogging for Candidates 101: Nuts and Bolts

A "blog" is simply an internet (web) log. Blogs are... Read More

Want to Work for Yourself? Those Dream Jobs Dont Just Happen, Theyre Created

While traveling in northern California last October, I happened... Read More

Don?t Discount the Temporary Position Interview

If you think, 'it's just an interview for a temp... Read More

The Role of a Medical Assistant in a Modern Medical Practice

Many physicians are unsure of what tasks are appropriate to... Read More

Answering The What Are Your Weaknesses? Interview Question

One of the trickier questions an interviewer might put to... Read More

Dont Get Caught In The Security Trap

The day you begin to think of your job in... Read More

A Career in Image Consulting

You might have seen them while watching TV shows such... Read More

Unemployment Survival: Taking Back Control

One of the most emotionally crippling aspects of unemployment is... Read More

Leave Your Dead End Job?For Good!

So here you are?stuck in a dead end job. Are... Read More

The Last Minute Interview

Your breath catches in your throat - at last, an... Read More

Youre Bright And Talented -- TooT Your Own Horn --

Obviously, there are RIGHT ways to move UP the ladder.... Read More

What Not To Include In Your Resume

Do you have a difficult time determining what does not... Read More

Telecommuting Website (Part Two)

Last article I discussed why a telecommuter would benefit from... Read More

Ive Got the Big Bad B Word on My Job!

That "B" word---B O R E D O M.How did... Read More

Just a Series of Choices

Steve's a pretty regular guy ? wife, 4 kids in... Read More

Business Careers: Keys to Moving on from Retrenchment

You may be astonished to realize that retrenchment may occur... Read More

Job or Career

At this present time I have a job. It pays... Read More

Your Resume Format - What Is The First Thing You Need To Do?

The first thing you need to do before you write... Read More

Job Search: The End of the Line

There is an end to the job search tunnel!It has... Read More