By | Richard Moy | www.themuse.com
It’s easy to tell your friends to negotiate when they get a job offer. But when it comes to you? There’s this nagging little voice that says, “Do not do anything that might ruin this.” And while you’d tell your friend to take a deep breath and relax, it’s only natural to react like this when it feels like your exciting new position’s still on the line.
But you should know that in almost every case, the company expects you to negotiate and it’s in your best interest to give it a shot. In fact, a study by Salary.com found 84% of employers expect job applicants to negotiate salary during the interview stage.
If you’re not convinced yet, know this: The hiring manager’s on edge too when it comes to negotiating salary. He’s nervous you won’t accept his best offer—yes nervous, remember, he put a lot of thought into this decision, too and has decided he really wants you to be working there. Really! I know this because when I was a recruiter, I often had the following conversations with hiring managers.
1. “I Hope We Can Pay This Person Enough.”
Most people I know do their best to offer what they feel is a fair salary off the bat. In many cases, they have room to offer a little more if the candidate negotiates. However, I’ve lost count of the sleepless nights I experienced while waiting for someone to accept a job. This might sound silly, but trust me—ask any recruiter who’s lost their top target to a competitor who offered more money, and they’ll tell you that when a company hits its top dollar, there’s not a whole lot the hiring manager can do but wait.
