Quintessential Careers:
Salary Negotiation Do's and Don'ts
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
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Here are the keys to successful salary negotiation. Follow these simple rules and you should achieve success in this important strategic tool of job-hunting.
- Do make sure you’ve done your research on the salary you
should expect for the position you’re seeking.
And do use sources such
as salary.com and others.
- Don't bring up salary before the employer does. And
do delay salary negotiation for as long as possible
(until you know exactly what the position entails).
- Do be aware of your strengths and achievements.
And do be sure to demonstrate the value you’ll bring to the employer.
- Do let the employer make the first salary offer.
And do, if asked, say you expect a salary that is
competitive with the market - or give a salary range that you find acceptable.
- Don't inflate your current earnings just to get a higher salary offer.
- Don't feel obligated to accept the first salary offer.
And do negotiate salary if the offer made is inadequate.
- Don't get overly aggressive in negotiating the salary you want.
- Don't just focus on salary. Do look at the
entire compensation package.
- Do try to obtain other concessions (shorter review time,
better title, better workspace) or benefits (bonuses, vacation time) if
you aren’t successful at negotiating a salary you want.
- Don't enter salary negotiations as part of an ego trip or part of a game.
- Don't accept the first acceptable salary offer you receive if you’re not sure about the job or the company.
- Do get the offer in writing.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Dr. Randall S. Hansen is founder of Quintessential Careers,
one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of
EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of
MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and
EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of
Quintessential Careers Press,
including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter,
QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a
published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often
quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is
also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his
personal Website or
reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.
Have you seen all our salary negotiation resources?
Read all our job-hunting do's and don'ts.
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