When you start out on any long trip, do you fill the tank only halfway? Three-quarters? No. You top that sucker off with as much as the tank will hold. Why? Because you want to get as far on that trip as you can on one tank; you're not really sure when you'll come across that next filling station, are you?
When you start a job, you have to think in terms of filling that salary tank to capacity. We can't tell you how many of The Girls Who Call Us started new jobs thinking, "Well, the salary isn't that great, but when they see what a hard worker I am, they will adjust my salary upward to make it right and fair." Nope, nope, nope.
J started a job and shortly thereafter found out that she was making far less than another equivalent senior executive who was hired around the same time. J marched right into her boss's office to request a salary bump to even it all out. No fuzzy dice. J's boss pointed out that J's salary was a reflection of the deal she herself had negotiated when she signed on. He told her that he wouldn't even discuss a raise until it was time for J's yearly review. "Take it or leave it," he said.
In most cases that initial salary is negotiable even though the hiring party will try to make it seem like she's locked into a fixed price. But don't worry about seeming greedy for more: negotiation is expected.
No matter what business you are in, no employer will give you more than the market rate. If you ask for $80K as a starting salary when your skills are typically more in the $30K range, it truly does reflect unkindly on your sobriety and sanity. However, negotiating reasonably shows that you are a good negotiator, and the interviewer will increase her perception of your value because you know your own worth. So, to prepare to competently negotiate a salary:
1. Find the going salary in your region for the job title. Go on monster.com and select "Salary Centre" on the home page. You will find the salary wizard, so you can run the numbers. If you know people in the industry, you can also ask them about salaries. Don't, however, ask people for their personal income number; that's tacky and taboo. Rather, ask people, particularly people you know who are frequently involved in the hiring process, about the current market trends.
2. Pick a number that will make you happy. Seriously, so few people think about this part. It's not just about taking what you are given. You are signing your life away here -- what's it worth to you? Then add 10 per cent to your Happy Number. Your final number should fall somewhere within the salary range uncovered by your research. If not, it's the Breathalyzer for you, sister.
3. Figure into your analysis any other costs associated with this job. Is it a longer commute? Add $$$. Will you require a fancier wardrobe that needs dry cleaning? Add $$$. Figure in any changes you can anticipate, such as added meal costs -- add breakfast $$$ if your old company provided bagels, and if there is no office coffeepot, add $$$. Daily javas add up, Caffeine Queen.
4. Determine your bottom and middle numbers. Lock your bottom, middle, and Happy Numbers in your head before you go in there to negotiate.
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 | Excerpted from The Big Sister's Guide to the World of Work: The Inside Rules Every Working Girl Must Know by Marcelle DiFalco and Jocelyn Greenky Herz. Copyright 2005 by Marcelle DiFalco and Jocelyn Greenky Herz. Excerpted with permission from Fireside Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher. |
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