How to Negotiate a Full-Time Salary
- 1). Study the labor market conditions and salary levels based on your skills and qualifications. Consider factors such as the unemployment rate, the overall economy and whether the labor market is saturated with other job seekers with similar qualifications.
- 2). Access salary tables for the position you're being offered -- online sources such as salary surveys, salary tables and salary data from government entities are available free of charge. Gather data from job vacancy announcements and advertisements in your geographic area. If there aren't comparable jobs listings in the area with salary information, find listings in other geographic areas and adjust the salary data accordingly, using cost-of-living indices and online calculators that enable you to compare salaries and cost of living for various cities.
- 3). Research the company's financial condition as well as its current business stage. Seed businesses become start-ups, which theoretically progress through growth, establishment, expansion and maturity phases. Companies in an exit phase usually are preparing for an initial public offering or waiting for an investor to acquire the company. Your salary negotiations with a company in the lucrative exit stage should be significantly different than negotiating a full-time salary with a start-up company, where resources for competitive salaries and benefits may be limited.
- 4). Prepare your notes for the negotiation. Include information on comparable salaries as well as your own salary history. List your qualifications and the contributions you bring to the organization. Be prepared to explain why you are worth the salary you are asking for. Know the minimum salary you will accept and the benefits you want in your total compensation package.
- 5). Engage the company representative in a dialogue about your salary figure. Use body language that suggests you're open to negotiation -- watch your nonverbal cues to ensure you don't appear closed to discussion or inflexible. Adjust your salary figures in reasonable increments. Make concessions on benefits if you're so inclined, or agree to a lesser salary figure if you want to preserve the benefits level. Ask for a written compensation package offering once you have a mutual agreement.
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