Win-win salary negotiations

Now comes the fun part!  You are in the driver's seat, job offer in hand.  Time to steer the negotiations across the finish line. 

When you are negotiating a job offer, remember that your main goal is
to clarify the terms and make sure both parties are reasonably satisfied
with outcome. Try to approach the task from a clear-headed, non-emotional viewpoint.

Think of negotiating as three distinct processes:

1. Clarifying the terms
2. Prepare to negotiate
3. Time to negotiate!

Make sure you understand the benefits:

• Health care
• Retirement savings package
• Time off (sick, vacation, maternity/health leaves, holidays and personal time)
• Educational reimbursement
• Other company-wide perquisites and discounts

Clarify the compensation:

• Salary or hourly wage
• Bonus (how is it calculated?  what is required of you?)
• Stock Options, if applicable
• Sign-on bonus, if applicable

Clarify other important variables:

• Work schedule
• Amount of travel required
• Your reporting relationship
• The future of your job

Do your homework.  Ask former colleagues whether the offer is
competitive in terms of salary or benefits.  Consider whether you are a
strong or weak candidate for the job (can they find anyone else to do
the job as well as you?)  Determine what benefits or employment
variables are most important to you and why.  Prioritize the order in
which you will negotiate them.  If money is the most important factor in
the offer, then prepare to negotiate that first.  Likewise, if you would
take less money for more flexibility, strategize how you will negotiate
more flex time, knowing that you may need to give on the salary.  If you
have multiple offers, don't be afraid to use it to your advantage.  Let
the recruiter or hiring manager know that you are considering other
offers and would like a few days to decide.

First of all, approach the negotiation with the idea that it needs to
have a "win-win" result.  Then you will be negotiating in good faith.

Whenever possible, try to negotiate with your hiring manager rather than
a Human Resources representative.  Since you have already prioritized
your negotiable items, start with the most important ones first.  Let
them know these are important considerations that will affect your
acceptance of the offer.

During the negotiation, be creative.  If they can't give on one item,
see if they can give on another (i.e., if they can't increase the salary
see if they will offer more flexibility).  Make sure you
discuss/negotiate all the items on your wish list.  You may not have
another chance to bring these topics up for a while.  Now is the time.

If you still need more time, tell them you will think it over for a
day.  Don't prolong the process unnecessarily. They want someone in the
job, so if you are not going to take it, they need to find someone who
will.  When you have hashed it all out, ask for the "revised" offer in
writing. 

When it comes time to give your answer, accept enthusiastically or decline graciously.

For more information on negotiating, check out these internet resources:

www.rileyguide.com (evaluating and negotiating job offers)

www.quintcareers.com (salary negotiation and job offer tools)

www.salary.com (salary information by location, and job category)

www.wetfeet.com (salary and perquisite information)

www.salaryexpert.com (compensation data and salary comparisons)