Week 7- What Color is Your Parachute Chapter 5

Salary negotiation is something that should happen during every interview process and most times should occur after the job has been offered and the job-hunter is willing to accept it. Should is the key word here because, in most cases, job-hunters skip over or ignore this part entirely. This will not make for a successful finish to obtaining a job, at least not as successful as it could be.

In the book What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Bolles, Bolles describes the significance of salary negotiation and also the typical reaction most job-hunters have towards it, “Negotiation. There’s no word that strikes terror into the hearts of most job-hunters or career-changers. Why do we have to negotiate?” Salary negotiation can be a daunting task for anyone, in most cases the job-hunter is just ecstatic to be getting a job, but it is a crucial part to having the most successful job hunting experience.

The most significant part of salary negotiation is to know what number you are looking for with the job as well as understanding what salary the employer is looking to give you. This can be done through some simple research of the field and of the company. Understanding how much the average employee makes in a similar position in a different company can give you a good start of your salary “range”. Also, looking into other employees in the company with similar duties in the company can make your range more accurate for yourself and the employer.

The key of a successful salary negotiation is to understand both what they are looking for and what you are looking for. Another idea is to go into a negotiation not with a salary in mind, but a salary range. This range will allow you to get at least what you’re looking for while also being able to get more.

Just remember at the end of the day if they offered you the job they do want you. If they want to discuss salary then it is up to you to be prepared for that and be able to give them an accurate response, but there is no need to give a solid number. If you have done your research and have a salary range set in your mind, you will be able to find the most success. Just don’t be afraid of the word “negotiation”, it is not as scary as you think.