Unfortunately, I've had to do my fair share of salary negotiations in the past few years and I'm hoping to start a new set in the next week or two. The subject has already come up in the current round of interviews I'm doing.

I've found it's best to have a good range. The lowest number I'll provide is the lowest salary I would take plus about 10%. The high end of the range tells me something about their expectations. If they offer me the upper end of my range, that's a sign their expectations may exceed my ability to meet them and we need to revisit the job description.

Here's something to consider. Ask for periodic reviews and potential compensation increases based on the results of your review. If it's truly an environment where you are happy and productive, it'll show in your work and the reviews provide a good forum to discuss your true worth to the company.

BTW, the job I'm interviewing for right now doesn't really have a title per se. The president kept referring to me as the "Tech Dude."