Negotiating your salary: don't walk into an interview blind. Be prepared to talk terms. (Book Excerpt).If you are lucky and smart, you have avoided discussing this subject throughout your interviewing and evaluation process. You have managed to give the right answers and endear en·dear tr.v. en·deared, en·dear·ing, en·dears To make beloved or very sympathetic: a couple whose kindness endeared them to friends. your future boss enough to create confidence in the skills you can bring to the company. You have smiled and chitchatted with everyone from the receptionist to the vice president of the department that has an opening. You may even know so much about the company by now that you're looking forward to the cafeteria's Thursday salad bar. However, one important fact has eluded you: If you take this job, how much will you be paid? NEGOTIATING Never box yourself in when you're asked what salary you want. Always say that you're interested in an industry-competitive wage, or that the amount is negotiable NEGOTIABLE. That which is capable of being transferred by assignment; a thing, the title to which may be transferred by a sale and indorsement or delivery. 2. . Salary negotiations can vary. Never let an employer say that there is no wiggle room wiggle room n. Flexibility, as of options or interpretation: ambiguous wording that left some wiggle room for further negotiation. Noun 1. in an initial offer. (Only the various levels of government have fixed salary scales.) If you have a comfortable rapport with someone who works for the company, ask him or her what the position might pay. If you are asked to quote a dollar amount during an interview, explain that the amount would depend on all of the duties and responsibilities associated with the job. Employers try to get the best for the least amount of money. Savvy Savvy® Gynecology A contraceptive vaginal gel that ↓ transmission of STDs–eg, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea. See Contraceptive. negotiators successfully showcase their skills while highlighting the contributions they can make to the organization. Keep in mind these points as you negotiate: * Go in with a positive attitude. * Check annual reports and the Internet to determine the company's financial standing and your potential future with the company. * Don't bite the first offer. Even if you've been searching for a job for months, don't give in now. You've got to strike the best deal. Beyond salary, this is the time to get the most in terms of health coverage, vacation time, and other benefits. * Ask for what you really want; it's more difficult to get more after you're hired. If you sense that an offer is on the horizon, see what dollar amount is put on the table. If the offer that is made is less than you expected, take a minute and relax. A pregnant pause is not bad at this point; it may cause the employer to rationalize ra·tion·al·ize v. 1. To make rational. 2. To devise self-satisfying but false or inconsistent reasons for one's behavior, especially as an unconscious defense mechanism through which irrational acts or feelings are made to appear the amount, and it will give you more time to think. The dealer may think your hesitation is a no and decide to increase the amount. * Never make your decision on the spot; always give yourself at least 24 hours to think about it, even if the money is more than enough. If you believe you can bring something unique to the organization, then counter with: "I was really looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. more. I'll have to get back to you." * Be realistic. If you know a position is paying $45,000 to $50,000, don't ask for $65,000. You must take into account the market and the company. * Think about the big picture. If the employer can't meet your base salary needs because of the company's salary policy or "pool," ask for other perks perk 1 v. perked, perk·ing, perks v.intr. 1. To stick up or jut out: dogs' ears that perk. 2. To carry oneself in a lively and jaunty manner. . A signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. These are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee e.g. if the annual salary is lower than they desire. is usually given only at a managerial level and above, but additional vacation days, frequent performance reviews and their associated raises, a flexible work schedule, or performance bonuses may stand up as substitute perks. RELATED ARTICLE: Find out what you're worth. There are two excellent online sources for salary surveys: (1) Wage Web (www.wageweb.com) and (2) the Economic Research Institute (www.erieri.com). However, both cost money. American Salaries and Wages Survey, published semiannually sem·i·an·nu·al adj. Occurring or issued twice a year. sem  i·an , is usually available for free at local libraries. These are among the few sources that break down information by professions and location. Some other online resources and books: WEBSITES www.abbott-langer.com Compare current salary survey statistics for more than 450 jobs in information technology, marketing and sales, accounting, human resources The fancy word for "people." The human resources department within an organization, years ago known as the "personnel department," manages the administrative aspects of the employees. , consulting, manufacturing, nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. , legal, and other fields, from over 7,000 organizations. www.careerjournal.com Provides salaries by industry. The database, maintained by the Waft Street Journal, reports average paychecks of employees in various industries. Locates advice and articles. www.jobsmart.org This Wall Street Journal job search site offers over 3,000 salary surveys culled from general periodicals, local newspapers, trade and professional journals, and recruitment and employment agencies. Learn about stock options and other benefits, as well as how to negotiate. www.nalp.org/jobseekers (National Association for Law Placement) Job hunters seeking to join the legal workforce may want to check out the salary survey. www.salary.com Users can obtain free salary surveys and compensation reports for dozens of industries. A job database and a salary-advice guide are featured. BOOKS Are You Paid What You're Worth? by Michael O'Malley (Broadway). This book will arm you with the strategies and information needed to determine your market value and negotiate the compensation you deserve. The American Almanac almanac, originally, a calendar with notations of astronomical and other data. Almanacs have been known in simple form almost since the invention of writing, for they served to record religious feasts, seasonal changes, and the like. of Jobs and Salaries by John W. Wright (William Morrow
From the book Black Enterprise Guide to Building Your Career [c] 2002 by Cassandra Hayes. All rights reserved. (Log on to www.blackenterprise.com to order a copy.) |
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