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How to Negotiate Salary for Your First Job

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Even if you’ve been in the work world for years, salary negotiations are uncomfortably tricky. But if you’re just starting out, the idea of asking for what you want from a new employer sounds incredibly hard, doesn’t it? That’s why we’ve developed some great tips for negotiating salary for your very first job. Here’s what you need to know.

Five Salary Negotiation Tips for New Hires

1. Know your budget.

Here’s the deal; you can’t ask for what you want unless you know what you need. Do you have a monthly budget? If you don’t, now is the time to create one. That way, you will know exactly how much money you need coming in to live versus live comfortably. This is the baseline for your first salary negotiation.

2. Be confident in these numbers.

Sure, you don’t have a ton of experience on your resume. That doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t get the money you want. The trick here is to know and understand your value as an employee. What skills do you have that make you stand out? Even your youthful exuberance, ability to learn technology quickly, and strengths as a multitasker make you a good candidate. So come to the negotiation table confident in your abilities.

3. Do your research.

What is a common salary for the position you’re applying to in your geographic area? Glassdoor is a great resource for researching the salary possibilities for the jobs you’re applying to. If the employer is trying to wheedle you down, show them the Glassdoor numbers that show their numbers are below the median for the work you’re doing.

4. Consider the entire offer.

Jobs are so much more than just salary. What are the insurance benefits? Do they have tuition reimbursement? Can you work from home? What’s the PTO? While retirement may seem like a long way off, these benefits are very valuable and worth factoring into your salary considerations.

5. Counter the offer.

If everything meets your expectations, great! But you can also counter the salary offer. We don’t necessarily mean just the salary, either. Are there other benefits you can negotiate? For example, can you negotiate working from home a few days a week? If so, you’re going to save the time and money you’d spend commuting to an office. That’s valuable.

ADD STAFF Can Help You Get a Job with Good Pay

Another good tip is to work with ADD STAFF to represent you to the employer. We can help you improve your resume and interview skills and provide valuable advice on salary negotiations. Call on us to find out how we can help.

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