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Career Services
The College at Brockport
350 New Campus Drive
Brockport, NY 14420-2974
(585) 395 2159
fax: (585) 395 2708
101 Rakov Center
Web site:
rkincaid@brockport.edu
Division of Enrollment
Management & Student Affairs
Question about Career Services? Ask Ellsworth!
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Negotiating Salary and Benefits
Congratulations! If you're reading this we hope it's because you have received or will soon receive a job offer. Now the big questions: is it right for me? and are the pay and benefits acceptable?What factors should be considered in your decision? Rate each item below in terms of importance. Is it highly important to you? moderately important? or minimally important? Then, give each factor a grade from excellent to poor. Looking at these elements systematically will allow you to weigh the offer in a more balanced, and less impulsive way. Which factors are key to you?
Salary and Benefits: Is it a fair salary given your knowledge of the field? (See http://www.rileyguide.com/salguides.html for more information.) We have additional information at Career Services. What are the opportunities for promotions or raises? What are the benefits? Are there any that are particularly important? Tuition reimbursement? Child care allowance? Although it might be hard to believe this after living on a student's income, more money does less to motivate or bring happiness once an individual has achieved a certain acceptable standard of living. Most people rate salary as highly important initially, but find its importance diminishes over time. New graduates often rate benefits low intitially, but find their importance increases over time.
Duties: Will you enjoy the work? Does the job use your strengths? Does it advance you toward any long-range goals? What skills will you learn? Research shows this as a key factor for most of us.
Supervision: What is your impression of the supervisor? Is it someone you want to work for? Someone you feel you can help your development?
Colleagues: Did you like the people you met? Did morale seem high? These last two factors are important for most of us.
Workload: What are expectations? Long hours? Weekends? Pressure? And if they're all there, are they recognized in the compensation or advancement opportunities? This is often cited as the most common reason for leaving a job.
Location/Facilities: Commuting time and cost? Housing costs and suitability in the area? Are there friends and family nearby? Private office? Cubicle? Broom closet?
Organization: Employee-friendly? Flexible in work hours? Profitability? Stability? Prestige? Promote from within policies?
Industry or Field: What's the outlook for this? Is the industry or field stable, growing or declining? If prestige is important to you, how does it rate? Is job security important, and what's their track record on that?
OK, the offer has been made. You've weighted and graded the above. What's your strategy now?
Postpone. First, express interest, but then ask for time. A hasty decision is more likely to be a bad decision. Beware employers who can't wait a short period (24-48 hours) for your decision. And make your decision within that time period- employers react negatively to candidates who stall, assuming that you may be playing them against other employers.
Prepare and Practice. What will you say? How will you say it? We advise that you anticipate questions and prepare/practice responses for the job interview. Negotation is no different.
Negotiate: First, try to determine if the employer can and will. In some cases, salaries and benefits are set by company or union rules and it's "take it or leave it."
Ask if they have any room in their original offer. Ask if there is a range within which they want to hire the candidate.
Always try to have them throw out the first figure, and try to avoid directly answering the question, "how much salary do you want?" If you do answer provide a range, referencing your research on starting salaries for this field and job title, and perhaps your distinctive strengths and background; the factors that separate you from the pack.
And then (if your background justifies it) advocate for the midpoint or above, always mentioning again your distinctive and excellent qualifications, background or strengths. However, remember that there is risk in negotiating. Employers can say, "I'm sorry but we can't do that. Goodbye." Determine your tolerance for risk and the desirability of the job before the meeting.
In most cases, the employer is making what they perceive as a reasonable offer. After all, the point of this is not to find the low bidder, but the best candidate. You've been identified the best candidate and your satisfaction is important, but not at the cost of alienating experienced employees with too high starting salary for a newcomer.
Benefits are usually much less likely to be negotiated since these may be packages that are standard for all employees. But you might ask.
Tuition reimbursement, parking/commuting costs, performance bonuses and other incidentals are the most likely areas of flexibility. Health care, vacation/sick or retirement are less likely to be negotiable.
Accept or reject: the payoff for all your work in the job search. Either way, express your appreciation. Say positive things about the organization and how you have been treated.
If you accept, take yourself off the market- no more interviews if they are offered. Do not renege- this can damage a career for years to come since employers talk to each other. If hired, ask for a letter confirming the offer and the conditions/salary of the offer.
If you reject the offer, it's advisable to still write a letter thanking the interviewer, and express your admiration for the organization even though the job offered was "just not right for me at this time."
Finally, if the organization may have more attractive openings in the future, state your interest and your intent to stay in touch regarding these opportunities.
