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The only time to talk about salary with a prospective employer is after you have been told, in clear, unmistakable terms, that they want to hire you.

Once you are certain they want you, THEN talk money. The most basic principle in your salary negotiation should be: get them to propose a number first. Unless the company is unwilling to negotiate on salary at all, you are in a better position to obtain the highest possible figure if you find out what the company is willing to pay before you disclose what you want.

This is why:

The offer may be for more than you were going to ask. You end up with a better salary just by accepting their initial offer.

If you disclose your number first and you are very low in relation to the prevailing market, they may think you lack confidence, and begin to have second thoughts about you.

If you disclose your number first and you are far too high, they may think your price is out of the question and break off the discussion.

If you talk first, the company knows the figure is the maximum they have to pay to get you. You set a ceiling on your price tag, because once you quote a number you can adjust it downward, but not upward. They will probably make an offer below your figure, knowing they can always come back up to that price if they have to.

In a salary negotiation, when the company talks first, you can be certain the figure they mention is their minimum offer, and you should be able to nudge it upward from that point. If they mention a salary range, come back with your own range at the upper level of theirs. Say the employer tells you they are going to pay somewhere in the range of $45,000 to $50,000 for this job. You reply that considering the hard work you will put into this job to do it right, you feel your salary should be in the area of $48,000 to $53,000. You set up a bargaining situation in which you should be likely to strike a deal at $50,000 to $52,000.

Your salary negotiation is not complete until you discuss the future. Even if you start at a generous salary, it may be a poor deal for you if you simply cannot get a decent raise until you are old and gray. Before you accept any offer, ask about company guidelines and timetable for advancement.

In order to be considered successful, what would you be expected to accomplish in the first six months on the job? In the first year? Without an understanding of what the employer believes constitutes successful job performance, you may have a tough time knowing how you are doing, or in justifying a salary increase when the time comes.

When will you receive your first salary review?

Assuming your performance is top-flight, what sort of increase might you resonably expect to receive?

The employer will not make any firm promises to you at this point, but you should be able to get some indication of what it takes to be successful in the company and what short-term rewards you can shoot for.


Bruce J. Bloom is a respected writer on job-hunting and career opportunities, and contributor to the hard-hitting career strategy website Fast Track For Women, http://www.winyourcareer.com. His career manual Fast Track To The Best Job was published by Blazer Books.

Annually you get one opportunity to showcase your contributions to your workplace with a view to getting a raise. Do it well or you might find yourself waiting another 12 months for a chance at a salary increase. Prepare for a good performance review by following these tips.

1. Obtain comments quickly. Following a performance review, you will gain insight into last year’s job performance. You can make positive changes in your work habits to impress your employer. To know you’re on the right track, go over your last review often to ensure that your employer will see some major improvements in your work.

2. Get ready to discuss your weaknesses. Everybody has room for development. Get ready for your performance review by evaluating ay weaknesses that might have stifled your work throughout the year. You should consider some options you can use to deal with these weaknesses such as speaking to a mentor or attending seminars.

3. Obtain a thankyou letter. If you have done a great job and been thanked for it, have the person write you a quick letter about it. Letters from a former boss or client will be well looked upon during a performance review. Keep all such letters and bring this file to your performance review so that you can point out your best efforts. Why not highlight the best paragraphs in the letters to allow your employer to briefly skim through them.

4. Get a list of yearly achievements ready. Make a list of all of your achievements throughout the course of your employment. Schooling and training will help to reinforce your commitment to work. Remember everything you have achieved in the past year and will ensure that none of your contributions go without notice. Talking about these achievements, furthermore, can only help performance reviews and put the whole interview in a positive light. Add this list to your performance review file.

5. Set some goals for yourself and write them down. Your boss likes to see that you are motivated and ambitious as the year progresses. Appear to be always moving forward by having your personal and professional goals set out. It should include any projects you hope to develop or further jobs that you want to apply for. Perhaps you want to get an article published in a professional journal. Demonstrate initiative by creating your own goals and showing them to your boss.

6. Pass along your file to your company a month before the review. If the boss decides to complete the paperwork early, your letters of commendation and other documents will be there to positively influence their decision.

7. Keep your expectations sensible. Prior to receiving a performance review, it is important to temper expectations with reality. The budget might not always include salary raises but that does not imply that you should not ace your performance review. Highlight your skills and talents at an annual performance review and eventually, your boss will reward you with a well-deserved raise.

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Tiffany Provost writes about Performance and other Career Tips for HowToDoThings.com.

Job hunting is more competitive than it has been in years. The present economy means that there are countless newly-unemployed people looking for the same jobs you are. Therefore it is more important than ever to know everything you can about job hunting skills.

Make sure everyone you know is aware that you are looking for a new job. Most jobs are never advertised and therefore if you are searching only in newspapers and online job sites, you are missing a lot of opportunities. Utilize social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter to get it out there that you are looking for work. Just remember to use social networking wisely. Anything and everything that you put on the web is something that a potential employer can see. Therefore, choose wisely before you share too much in cyberspace.

Research companies in your area and check their websites. Jobs may be listed there that are not listed elsewhere. If you are interested in working for a particular firm, call them, send them your resume and follow it up with a phone call. Get the name of a contact person to speak with there.

Create a sensational resume, having spent a great deal of time on it. Have it proofread and critiqued by several people. Remember to tailor it to every job you apply on. It will make a huge difference in getting interviews, as the resume typically makes the very first impression that someone has of you. Grab them with a great ?Career Objective? that is perfectly tied to the job you are seeking. Use resume buzz words and terms from their job description throughout the resume and cover letter to help cinch the fact that you are the perfect fit for the job.

Write thank you notes after a job interview. This is a crucial step that many people skip. Doing this one thing can make the difference between choosing you or someone else for the job. Be prompt with the note; send it the same day as the interview. Send thank you notes individually to all those who interviewed you. Reiterate your desire to work at the firm, your suitability for the job, add anything you may have forgotten to mention and above all, thank the interviewer for their time and the opportunity.

Prepare well for interviews. Learn everything you can about the company you are being interviewed for. Prior to the interview have intelligent questions formulated that show that you have knowledge of the company, because the interviewer will always ask if you have any questions. Practice the answers to typical interview questions. Write out the answers and rehearse them, so that you feel comfortable answering them during the stress of the interview. Have impeccable grooming and dress your best for the interview. Remember that first impressions are made in the first seconds you meet someone, so put your best foot forward, radiate confidence and offer a firm handshake to create the best impression possible.

Treat the job hunt like you would a job. Start early in the day and keep going until the end of the workday. Dress like you are going to work, or even better. Do not sink into the trap of depression because you are job hunting. Strive to do your best at job hunting, because that is your job if you are out of work.

By working hard and putting the required effort into your job hunt, you can be confident in the fact that you are doing all you possibly can to find a job. Be patient and use your imagination as you seek opportunities. Before you know it, you?ll find the perfect job just for you.

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Jason Kay recommends that you learn more job search strategies at JobGoRound.com.