Negotiating compensation is a touchy business. Many people
don't negotiate because they aren't sure what their skills
are worth. Others fear they'll appear greedy if they ask
for more. Still others were raised to believe that it's
impolite to talk about money. The truth is that most companies
are prepared--in fact expecting--to negotiate salary terms.
To negotiate effectively, you have to start from a position
of power. Know what your strengths are and expect to be
paid for them. If you can't reach what you consider a fair
compensation package, be prepared to walk away.
Don't focus solely on the base salary that you expect.
Think in terms of an overall package, keeping other
benefits in mind when determining what you must have,
what you would like to have, and what you can live without.
Determine ahead of time what your ideal compensation package
is, as well as your rock bottom figure. Knowing what you
want before you are put on the spot allows you to trade
low-priority benefits for high-priority ones. It also prepares
you for when you'll be asked to defend what you are asking
for.
To negotiate successfully, you need to know:
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