Negotiating salary

[fryjack2]

Its always better to not put a number out there first, right? Its best to have a number in mind, see what is offered to you, and negotiate from there? 

I'm speaking purely about salary as the other factors  (401k, vacation, etc.) wouldn't change. 

[Deleted]

Yes. Absolutely do not name a number first. There are some great ideas for what to say when they press you for a number. Just google them and be prepared.

Know what market price is nationally and locally for your position, adjust to compensate for any special skills or experience you bring to the table, raise it to allow room for negotiation, and have that number in your head.

Negotiate like a man. Do NOT make it about what you need to pay your bills or making them like you. This is about fair compensation for your skills. You would not believe how many women say things like "the minimum i need to pay my bills is X" in salary negotiations. I cringe every single time. I have never heard a man say anything like that. That is not how this is done!

[dr.girlfriend]

May 21, 2021 12:21:08 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Its always better to not put a number out there first, right? Its best to have a number in mind, see what is offered to you, and negotiate from there? 

I'm speaking purely about salary as the other factors  (401k, vacation, etc.) wouldn't change. 

That is true, BUT I think sometimes things that are written in business advice journals may not translate out to all situations.  I would try it for sure, but if it starts to get uncomfortable I would have a number in mind, maybe adding 10% to what you think the final salary should be.  There are all sorts of hiring situations -- the person having this conversation with you may be a professional negotiator from HR, or they may be someone you'll be working with closely in the future position who only makes a hiring decision every few years, and may have also been told not to mention a number first!  Do your best to let them set the starting point for the negotiation, but also don't beat yourself up if it's not possible to do without tanking rapport.  And definitely do your research to know what's fair beforehand.

[fryjack2]

This isn’t for me, but everything you two are saying is what I’ve relayed

Market rate is a bit of a mystery as there are very few people in this niche of medicine, and none in our city.

[audry80]

I just negotiated a salary at a new job and I used a number to get where I wanted. It left no question of the salary I wanted to take the job. The number I used was more than what I actually would have taken so it worked out even better than I thought.

[lolalolalola]

The advice is always to avoid naming a number first. However you need to be prepared as that is not always an option. My company forces you to state your salary expectations during the screening interview. 

[krystee]

I would try not to name one first, but in my experience (with friends and my H since I have been at the same job forever), it rarely works. But best to try regardless. H just finally had it work, and the number they named was $40K higher than he would have asked for!

[wildrice]

If you do have to state your number first, aim high. Ask for more than what you want so that there is room to negotiate down. If you ask for your lowest amount first, there is nowhere to go from there.

I just took a negotiation class (not salary specifically) and it seemed the advice there was to be the first to state a number because it kind of anchors it. If you say you want 150k, it would be harder for them to offer you 100k because that would seem like such a low ball offer. But if they offer you 100k first and you want 150k, it's going to be hard to ask for that when you know it's so far from what they offered. The first number thrown out there kind of sets the range. If you come in knowing generally what you want and what the position is worth, you'll likely put out a reasonable number that they can work from.

I guess if you ask for 150k and they meant to offer you 200k, you could miss out. I'd argue that a good employer would not then offer you an undermarket salary anyway - they might just be like "well we have great news for you then!" and offer what they planned to all along.

[dr.girlfriend]

May 23, 2021 21:09:29 GMT -5 krystee said:

I would try not to name one first, but in my experience (with friends and my H since I have been at the same job forever), it rarely works. But best to try regardless. H just finally had it work, and the number they named was $40K higher than he would have asked for!

I'm so curious now...did he subsequently try to negotiate up from their starting offer?  I would be so flustered!  :-D

[krystee]

dr.girlfriend I think he replied that the range was in line with his expectations (the bottom of the range is what was $40K higher...the top was $60K higher than the number he would have named!). He didn’t negotiate further. Fingers crossed that he gets the third interview! He’s supposed to hear back in the next day or two.