Locking Down a Good Starting Salary
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A high starting salary is sort of like the holy grail of the work world. Everyone, at one time, is looking to get a good starting salary for a career. A large percentage of people choose their career path based solely on how much they can hope to get when they first enter the career. After all, if a career has a salary track starting at $60,000 and up, your financial situation is going to be pretty smooth sailing for the rest of the career.
However, is there a way to negotiate for a better salary when you begin a job. It can be difficult, but it’s a possibility. After all, you’re unproven as an employee, so it’s difficult to ask for the sky in terms of salary. Still, not making an aggressive inquiry into your beginning salary can mean the difference of thousands of dollars every year.
Tips for Negotiating a SalaryEveryone obviously wants a six-figure income, you have to first be realistic about what you require. Budgeting actually factors into salary negotiations, as you need to figure out exactly what you need before you determine what you want. The salary you ask for has a lot to do with your degree of experience and the skills you can offer a business. This is a reason for getting an advanced degree in your chosen field: it not only makes it easier to lock down a job, but to negotiate a salary, as you have increased marketable skills.
In the interview process, the employer may ask you directly how much you are looking for. There are two tactics to take with this situation. Either you could 1. Give a reasonable, but attractive, figure of your own or 2. Ask the employer to give a price range. Unless you’re in demand as an employee, it’s a better idea to choose option number one, as the employer might not match your expectations if he or she sets the terms. People who are in high demand can let the employer set the terms and then react accordingly.
Negotiating a salary isn’t much different than haggling when selling any product. You could ask for a figure well above what your salary goal is. That way, the employer can come back with, “That’s a little high, how about this” which ideally is still above what you hope for privately. You also take a hard line and suggest the exact salary you are looking for, as this type of forcefulness can be very effective.
Using a range can also work in your favor. Saying that you want $40,000 to $50,000 can work, making the low number your desired salary. You are then much more likely to get some number above that figure. It all depends on what you’re most comfortable doing and what you reasonably think you’re worth. So long as your target number is at a reasonable level, you are in a better bargaining position.
Reading Your InterviewerOne of the major good interviewing techniques is to gauge your audience. The interviewer may be more open to jokes, more professional, and so on. It is the interviewee’s job to adjust his or her dialog accordingly. You should never stick to the same game plan for each and every interview. The same goes for salary negotiations. You must read the person you’re negotiating with to determine if he or she will be responsive to hard-sell tactics or will recoil. Generally, confidence speaks volumes and you need to prove that you’re worth your asking price.
The Final Step in Locking Down a Good Starting Salary
Always get the salary in writing. A handshake agreement just won’t due. Sure, you could have a good informal dialog with your employer, but people can go back on their word, after they crunch numbers and reassess the offer. Get the salary offer in writing as soon as possible.
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