How to Negotiate The Best Salary and Benefit Packages
Salary and Benefits Negotiation
One of the most difficult aspects of job searching for many
people, especially those who are just starting out or who are
making a mid-career change, is actually the salary and benefits
negotiation aspect. This is true partly because some people are
just naturally uncomfortable with negotiation in general and
also because they may not feel knowledgeable enough about the
job market to be able to effectively negotiate for better pay
and benefits. In other cases, certain job seekers may not feel
confident enough about their talents and skills in order to
attempt salary and benefits negotiation.
For the most part, employers expect that there will be some
negotiation regarding salary and benefits packages. Today, this
tug of war has become somewhat of a game where both sides take
pride in honing their skills. In a small number of cases,
employers have absolutely no room to maneuver regarding the
salary and benefits they offer and therefore negotiation will
not be effective. That said, however; you will never know unless
you ask and give negotiation a try.
If you are unsure how valuable your own particular skills and
experience are to the current job market it is worth it to take
the time to perform some research. A number of job market and
labor statistics are now available on-line to help you determine
just exactly how valuable you are to a current or prospective
employer. The figures are generally listed according to low,
average and high; depending on the area of the country in which
you live and the exact amount of experience you possess.
Individuals who are a little on the shy side and feel
uncomfortable with trying to negotiate for a higher salary and
benefits package can work out some of their anxiety by
practicing with friends and relatives. It can be quite helpful
to write out a sample script ahead of time so that you can work
your way through it as you take a practice run. Take a look
below at one way in which a salary and benefits negotiation
might be handled:
Ms. Employer: