Easy Negotiation Techniques

Is That Negotiable?

Do you feel uncomfortable with the salary negotiation process? Here are some commonly asked questions along with the answers.

How do you correctly estimate your worth in the marketplace?

Do your research. Salary.com and Payscale.com are good places to start. Also make sure to check salary surveys done by professional associations. You can find out which associations are linked to your field by using the search engine at the Gateway to Associations.

How do you determine what the going rate is as far as salary is concerned in a new geographic area?

Same as above. Some professional associations break down the going rate by geographic location.

How do you answer the question, What are you looking for in terms of salary?

It’s best not to answer this question. Giving a specific answer can knock you out of the running, especially if you answer this question before you have received an actual offer. Try to delay answering any questions about salary until you are offered the position. One way to put off answering this question is to say, “I’d like to hear more about the position first before we talk about salary.”

If you are pressed to give an answer, give a range, not a specific dollar amount. A good way to phrase it is, “Based on my salary research, I know that the going rate for someone with my level of experience in this geographic area is between $____ and $___.” This subtly lets the interviewer know that you know what you are worth in the marketplace and at the same time gives you room for negotiation because you haven’t locked yourself in to a specific dollar amount.

What exactly is negotiable in the salary negotiation process?

It depends on the position, the company, and the industry. Some things that may be negotiable are: health insurance, vacation time, annual salary review, retirement savings plans, bonus plans, college tuition reimbursement plans, and stock options.

Cheryl Palmer, M.Ed. is a career coach and a certified professional resume writer. She is the founder of Call to Career, a career coaching firm that assists people in finding their niche or calling in life.

Combining her professional status as a career coach with her love of writing, Ms. Palmer has written articles such as Thank God Its Monday! which was published in Message magazine and Finding a Job That Fits You Like a Glove which was published in Community Jobs. Both articles were well received and have given her additional visibility in her field.

Cheryl Palmer has also been a guest on a radio show entitled Insight on Coaching hosted by Tom Floyd where she discussed the needs of Generation X in the workplace and how managers from other generations can get the best out of this segment of the workforce.

In an article on HotJobs website entitled The Art of Being Assertive, Ms. Palmer was quoted as a subject matter expert on how assertiveness can help a person advance in his or her career.