What's the best approach at negotiating an hourly salary with a potential employer?

Question

It is secretarial work.

There is always a place on apllications to put your desired income. Should I put "negotiable"? I do not want to go too low or too high.

Answer 1

That really depends on your needs. If you are desperate for a job and willing to let them offer you an hourly salary based on your experience and skill, then leave it negotiable.

If you are a skilled person who has worked in the position before and are confident that you bring what they need to the table you should research what employers pay hourly for the same job in that area and present a reasonable average.

The mistake is underselling yourself. If you just left a $8.00 an hour position because you could not make the rent or pay your bills you are not going to accept another position that is paying you the same thing or less. Do not be afraid to state what you reasonably believe you are worth. A good employer will pay for a good worker, especially in the field of administration.

Do not listen to people who would underscore "secretarial" work. One of the top jobs is senior administration specialist. The salary has gone up from $32,000 to $57,000 a year. People are now willing to pay for a good administrative staff and the skills you have as a secretary can be the stepping stone for a higher paying job.

Answer 2

They probably requested that information from the recruiter, which is a very common thing (I always ask). If the number is low, they may be excited to talk to you, because if you meet their qualifications, they can pay you more than what you currently make, but still (potentially) save money over other candidates. As for how you negotiate, first of all, the recruiter should be doing that for you, as his job is to get the right candidates to the right positions AND close the deal! Do your homework and know what people in your position, with your education and experience, are getting paid in your area. Remember that all those factors are important and will be considered by your potential employer when making a salary offer. Be prepared to discuss the circumstances that have resulted in you not getting a raise in three years (I assume this is part of the reason you are looking for a new job), and make sure you're honest about it. If the employer makes an offer that you are not happy with, feel free to counter, but make sure your counter is appropriate. It is very easy to price yourself out of a market like this, as many qualified people continue to look for work. Again, this is where the recruiter should be helpful in the negotiating process. Finally, don't forget to weigh other factors, like benefits, paid time off, advancement opportunities, bonus structure, etc. If you can't get the salary you would like, see if you can negotiate an extra week of paid vacation. Many employers require you to hit the five year mark before you qualify for a 3rd paid week off, if you've been at your current job for 3 years, you've put in 60% of the time, so maybe you can get at least 3 extra paid days off. Good luck!

Answer 3

First you have to ask yourself if you are in a position to negotiate a salary increase such as length of time you have been there, if there is noticable evidence that you've been doing a good job, etc.

I would never set a dollar amount for your proposal. You could go wrong in two ways which would be selling yourself short and proposing for too much.

What would be really helpful is if we knew your career.

Answer 4

You state potential employer, so you don't have the job yet. Research online in your geographical demographic what the baseline salary is for the job you are trying to get. Do you have lots of experience in this field? If so take that baseline as your starting point. Let him know what kind of salary you expect, and give him good reason why you deserve that salary. Good Luck, persistance pays off.

Answer 5

I think you should put "negotiable". That way, employers will believe that you are reasonable and serious about your job search.

jc
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