How to negotiate salary?

Hi everybody...I figured you guys all have enough experience with this topic, and I need some advice. I asked my dad, BF, friends, and they all give me different answers.

I have only been out of college for two years. The jobs I had, the salary was non-negotiable. (I found out because I asked). This time, the HR person told me they have a range. I of course, would like to be paid the high end of this range.

So how do I go about doing this? When they make the offer, do I request more time to think? Or do I immediately say what I want to make?

Advice please! Oh, she is calling me back tomorrow morning.

Of course we all want top salary! You'll have to do this primarily based on your education, but you do have two years experience...

Some questions for you to ponder:
Does your two years of experience relate directly to the job you've applied for?
Does your college degree(s) relate directly for the new job?
Do you have any part-time experience that relates...?
Based on the new job description, what makes you so special?

You have to sell yourself, and I know this is hard (unless you have a big ego, which I assume you don't since you've asked for advice from us!)

I've never had to negotiate a salary, so can only offer some questions that might help you claw yourself up from the bottom end of the salary range. Pretty much, are you barely qualified for the job, or really qualified, the best they've ever had? They'd be fools not to hire you?

Thought number 2 - how badly do you want to work for this company? Have you researched them, their policies, employee satisfaction, are they well respected?

I totally agree with the first comment. How competitive is this position? Chances are since you are just out of college they will offer you a lower end salary to start. Ask them about step increases, how they work? Is there a probationary period? If it's a good job but not your DREAM job, it may be a good starting point and you can get a few years under your belt. I don't know what field your going into, but if it's a good environment, here I go....money isn't everything if the place sucks. I wish you all the best. Keep us updated.

At least where I work (a university) salary ranges usually reflect varying degrees of experience above the minimum required for the job. For example, if the job description says it requires a BA and one year of related experience, someone with that would expect to start at the lowest end of the range. However, someone with 5 years of relevant experience may be able to negotiate to start higher in the range. The range also shows you how high you could expect to go as you aquire more experience (years on the job) before topping out for that particular job. Of course, as you get more experience you may then qualify for different jobs with higher pay ranges.

Great comments.

I would be sure to ask them how they do their evaluations and raises. Are they going to do an annual review? And if so, what qualities and tasks will they be evaluating?

I negotiated for a new position within my company. They said it was a lateral move, which it was clearly not. But I didn't have experience and they didn't want to give me a big raise when they weren't sure how I was going to work out. I compromised. I told them I'll prove it that I can do this job better than anyone else and in 3 months, I want my salary reevaluated. If I met all of the requirements we agreed on, I got my raise. And I did.

It was great to know exactly what expectations they had of me and what I could expect in the future for salary increases.

Thanks for the advice!

Hmm...I have a degree in International Business and already worked abroad. I didn't even apply for this job, the Publishing Director found my resume and emailed me. Then we met, and she loved me. Her HR person spoke with me on the phone and also loved me. And my references gave excellent reviews, as the HR person emailed me to tell me my references were all fans of me. My first year out of college I made mid-thirties with overtime. My job in Southeast Asia, I earned more. This job is offering mid-to-high thirties.

I want this job because it opens the door to the creative world for me. By creative, I mean marketing/advertising, coming from a finance world and all. Whenever I applied for even administrative assistant jobs in an advertising firm, I would hear the "you don't have the experience, you haven't interned in an environment like this " story. Well, give me a chance and i'll gain experience! Its the typical issue fresh-out-of-college students face.

So that is a little bit of background to show that i'm not completely inexperienced, even though i'm only two (and a half) years out of college.

I just want to get paid for loving and riding my bike! That would be the best :)

An alternative thing to negotiate for are benefits. I found out after I got my last job, which I've had for 11 years now, that the other 2 guys that came in at the same time negotiated for 3 weeks of vacation/year instead of 2. I would have loved loved loved that extra week.
More vacation is something we get every 3 years or so, so I get the same # of weeks they do now, but it took me 4 years to get there!
What else, non $, is important to you? An extra good computer monitor? An extra powerful computer?...
Often, at least in my world, salaries even out after a few years, regardless of where you start.

*Does a little dance*

I got it! And I got what I was hoping for! Didn't even have to negotiate :) Phew.

Thanks everybody for the advice!

Congratulations!

Awesome news! Go out and celebrate! Buy another bike(sorry thats what I'd do).

Yah!

That's great that they contacted you instead of vice versa, right there you had the position to negotiate!

My only advice would have been: Whoever talks money first loses. It sounds dumb but it has always served me well.


I agree. New bike :) Okay. At least a bell?

I can't replace my brandnew Zulu just yet!

Congrats. You don't have to replace her, just buy her a new sister. :D