How to Negotiate a Job Offer
These tips will help you get what you deserve.
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Be Bold - It’s tempting to accept the very first offer when you’re job hunting, but pushing beyond your anxiety to negotiate can pay off in a big way: experts say not doing it can cost you more than half a million in earnings over the course of your career. Even in a tough economy, remember that an offer means they want to hire you, and you have every right to be paid fairly for what you bring to the table. These tips will help you get what you deserve. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel (Photo: Cavan Images / Getty Images)
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Know Your Worth - The negotiation process should start even before you sit down with the hiring manager or your potential supervisor. Do your research to uncover how much you should be making for the position, taking into account your experience and the local market. Sites like Payscale.com, Salary.com, GlassDoor.com and SalaryFairy.com can provide a clear idea of what you should expect. (Photo: Geri Lavrov/Getty Images)
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Decide What You Want - Now that you know what you can command from the market, figure out your minimum requirements. What is the least amount you will accept? How much vacation time do you want? Do you need to have relocation expenses covered? Keep these things in mind as you move through the process to be sure your basics are covered. (Photo: Hero Images/Corbis)
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Ask for What You Want - Unless the first offer exceeds every one of your requirements, including the top number in the salary range you provided, now is the time to counteroffer. Tell the hiring manager that you’d love to join her company and you’d like to work together to get your compensation package in line with what the position, the market and your work history dictate you should be making, and then ask what kind of flexibility she has to make that happen. (Photo: Photo-Biotic/Getty Images)
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Concentrate on Why You Deserve the Money, Not Why You Need It - Everyone has expenses, so telling your potential boss she should pay you more because childcare is astronomical in your area won’t get you anywhere. Instead, tell her how the wide-ranging skills and deep network you bring to the table will uniquely benefit the company. (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)
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Consider the Entire Package - Salary is just one part of your compensation package. If they are unable or unwilling to meet you at your salary requirement, ask for leeway in some of the following areas: signing bonus, relocation expense reimbursement, vacation time, mentoring, professional development programming, industry membership fee coverage, conference attendance coverage, company cell phone, tuition reimbursement and moving up the date of your first salary review. (Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
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Do It All at Once - If there are three things you need to alter before you will accept the offer, be up front about that. Don’t negotiate one then come back with “one more thing” — patience will wear thin quickly and you’ll likely be frustrated in the end. (Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images)
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Focus on the Future - Chances are you will be asked what you are currently making. Keep that exact number to yourself, but don’t lie. Instead, tell her what you want moving forward. Respond: “I am focusing on opportunities in the $60,000 to $65,000 range,” substituting the actual range of what you can command, of course. If asked to include your salary requirement in the cover letter, provide a range of about $5,000. (Photo: Mark Scott/Getty Images)
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Be Pleasant - Be firm, but respectful. People hire folks they like; make them want to make you happy by being affable throughout the process. (Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Blend Images/Corbis)