Salary Negotiation

The process of choosing a job begins long before you receive a job offer. You must formulate a clear understanding of your skills, interests and values and how they relate to your career goals and available job opportunities. The knowledge and expertise you acquired via work experience and academic classes have a specific value; therefore, know your value in the current marketplace and be ready to negotiate that value. It is also important that you research the average starting salary of those who do what you want to do and the typical pay and benefits offered in the particular industry and organization in which you are applying. After you've done your research, establish a salary range that reflects your true value as well as what the company can realistically offer to you. Bottom line-do your homework.