After making it through rounds of tedious job interviews, it’s beyond exciting to receive an offer for a position you really want. However, your joy can quickly fade if the size of the salary the company wants to pay you falls below your expectations.
Money should never be your primary motivation to accept a new job, but it is very important. The size of your salary dictates the standard of living you can afford, which greatly impacts your quality of life. You’re an incredibly talented professional that any company would be lucky to have, so you need to be properly compensated.
Use These 3 Tips to Negotiate a Fair Salary
Put these three tips into action to ensure you get the salary you deserve.
Know your value.
Conduct research to find the average salary for the job in your city, so you know what to expect. The Bureau of Labor Statistics and com are two helpful resources to assist in this process. Of course, these are just averages, so you’ll need to adjust your expectations according to a number of contributing factors, including education, years of experience and skill level.
Don’t accept the first offer.
Assume the company’s first offer is negotiable and make the decision to push back. Submit a reasonable request and back it up with the salary statistics you found in your research. The hiring manager knows you’re talented and clearly wants you to join the team, so a realistic appeal for more money won’t ruin your chances of getting the job. Many employers actually expect you to negotiate the first offer, so accepting it as-is can be a very costly move.
Consider non-monetary compensation.
Some companies may truly want to pay you more, but a larger salary just isn’t in the budget. If this is the case — and you still want the job — negotiate non-monetary compensation that will improve your quality of life. This may include extra vacation days, the ability to work from home twice per week, a free monthly bus pass, or any other perk that isn’t related to the size of your paycheck.
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