Salary Negotiation:

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Honestly, that's how I got my job.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

On a serious note, dress up as much as you can. I'm not saying a tux, but always dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

[MTK]

Yeah a tux might be a bad call especially a baby blue one with ruffles and high water pants.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Whatever you do, don't walk in dressed in a velvet sweatsuit, whip out your package and lay it on the table, and proceed to ask how much will they give you to remove said package from the table. I heard that's frowned upon.

lol...

security!!!!

[saden1]

Don't ware your homeless getup....business casual is perfectly fine.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Yeah a tux might be a bad call especially a baby blue one with ruffles and high water pants.

You'll be my best man Har!

[BleedBurgundy]

Figure out what you really want and go about 2- 3 thousand higher. That way there's room for negotiation if it gets to that point. No matter how much you love the job, if you start and find out you make significantly less than your peers, you're going to be miserable in pretty short order. Don't assume that they are going to be all that hesitant to pay a decent salary. I lucked out though with my current position, I had done research and someone in my position in Central PA with my level of experience usuallly makes about 35-45k. I asked for 45 and got 55. I have no idea how that worked out to this day... The point is, don't let it stress you out, these things have a way of working themselves out.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by BleedBurgundy

Figure out what you really want and go about 2- 3 thousand higher. That way there's room for negotiation if it gets to that point. No matter how much you love the job, if you start and find out you make significantly less than your peers, you're going to be miserable in pretty short order. Don't assume that they are going to be all that hesitant to pay a decent salary. I lucked out though with my current position, I had done research and someone in my position in Central PA with my level of experience usuallly makes about 35-45k. I asked for 45 and got 55. I have no idea how that worked out to this day... The point is, don't let it stress you out, these things have a way of working themselves out.

That's pretty incredible. Why on earth would they counter your offer of $45K with $55K?

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Was Dan Snyder your boss?

[BleedBurgundy]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

That's pretty incredible. Why on earth would they counter your offer of $45K with $55K?

I have no effing clue, but I'd love for someone to tell me. They asked me what I wanted as far as salary was concerned and I told them $45 and asked if that was within the range they expected. They said it was and we went on to discuss other things. When I got the call 2 days later asking if I wanted the job, they told me the compensation would be $55k. I tried to sound "whatever" about it while air humping in front of my wife.

oh, and if this helps, I was told after I was hired that I was nowhere near the most experienced candidate they interviewed but was the most honest and I seemed like the person they would most like to work with. So there you go, tell the truth and don't be a dick.

[onlydarksets]

I have to strenuously disagree with the advice to go in with a range. You are always setting yourself up for the low end. The best approach is to give them a number that is reasonable, but, as BB noted, a little higher than your reservation price, and let them know that you will negotiate if they don't think this is fair. Otherwise, you are negotiating against yourself, which is the cardinal sin of negotiating.

[mheisig]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

That's pretty incredible. Why on earth would they counter your offer of $45K with $55K?

I had something similar happen.

I asked for $45 and got $60 when they found out I had other offers, even though the other offers were for less than $60.

[saden1]

A while ago I got a job offer and I declined the offer because I got a counter offer from my employer. I tried to nogocitiate to get the prospective employer to at least partly match the counter offer and they wouldn't budge even a little from their original offer. Anywho, after I declined their offer I told the head hunter that was working for me that I had a friend that I use to work with and he could probably do what they were looking for in a candidate. My friend got the job, got more money (5K more) and more stock options (10K more shares) than they offered me.


Always look out for #1, that's you mofo, that's you!

[Daseal]

Thanks for the advice guys -- the question never really came up luckily. If offered I'm not sure if I'll take the job -- but we'll see.

[stone]

my most memorable interview was at a company in NEPA where I was a perfect fit for the type of work. Because of the location of the company (Columbia County) the salary ranges are very low compared to the same level jobs closer to Phila. When the question came up in the interview I asked for 55 to 60K a year and I noticed an odd, uncomfortable reaction from my interviewer and I proceeded to follow up my offer with this.... " I understand that the range I am asking for may be high for the area but I assure you it is average for the industry." With that said.... done deal.... they gave me 55K a year w/ time & 1/2 for OT and I wound up making 70K that year. Pretty nice deal.

The moral to the story is... I always shoot high with my requests because if they settle on your first offer then you might feel cheated... man, i prob. could have gotten another buck or 2.... and always have a good reason for your request.