Categories: General Tips, Jobs
Salary Negotiation Tips
So you’ve landed your first salaried job–hooray! Before you sign on the dotted line, you want to ensure you’re getting the best salary and benefits package possible. Even though it may be intimidating, it’s well worth negotiating, as the long-term benefits can have a big impact. Here are three ways you can negotiate your first salary.
Do your salary research in your industry
When negotiating a salary, make sure to do your homework and conduct research before walking into the conversation. There are tons of online resources where you can find information about compensation in your industry. Make sure you’re taking into consideration your qualifications and geographic location. You don’t want to come up with a desired number based on salaries for California’s Bay Area when you live in Western New York. The cost of living is different, so the pay will be too.
Consider the whole benefits package
A job offer isn’t just about the salary–it’s about the rest of the benefits too. If they won’t budge on the salary number, have one or two ideas of other factors you want to negotiate on. This could be things like more vacation days or flexible scheduling like working from home. Be sure to take into account things like tuition benefits and retirement matching if your employer offers them–that can sweeten the deal a bit if the salary figure isn’t quite what you wanted.
Work on your negotiation skills
Negotiation doesn’t come naturally to most of us, at least not without practice. Once you’ve done your research and have determined what you want to ask for (and why you think you deserve it), then it’s time to get to work practicing. Run your pitch by family members, friends and even career counselors at your school. Get feedback and incorporate any helpful tips into your pitch. The more you practice, the easier it gets and the more confident you’ll sound when the time comes to negotiate.
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