Best Job Negotiation Strategies

I am in that critical job application process, and it is quite a stressful time. While trying to simply find a job that will help me pay off my student loans and start my career off, I have to consider so many other options - start date, salary, benefits, location, etc. I have learned several things in this process about negotiations in the job search process.

1. Find a mentor -

First, I would highly recommend finding a mentor or supervisor before starting the job application process. It can help if they are in your field, but they don’t have to be. Access the Career Services at your university. There are so many people out there who can help you. You’re not the first person to go through this process and you can learn from everyone else’s mistakes.

2. Be confident -

I had to remind myself again and again that I was qualified for jobs, even if I was rejected or never got a call back. I had to keep reminding myself that just because I didn’t get one job didn’t mean I would never get a job. Enter your job application process confidently. When they ask your preferred salary and start date, be confident in your answer. You have worked hard and you deserve what other people with your degree/experience get.

3. Do your research -

Before going into the interview stage, start doing some research on the positions you’re applying to. Jot down notes on things like average salary, contract lengths, degrees of other job candidates in the field, etc. There are a lot of questions that I was blindsided by in interviews because I just simply did not do enough research on the positions.

4. Be flexible -

Though you should be confident and know what you want and need in a job, there are definitely perks to being flexible. Offering options for when you can start or offering a salary range can be beneficial to the employers. It can show how interested you are in the position.

5. Don’t hesitate -

Don’t let hesitation or nerves stop you from asking any important questions. If you want to negotiate the salary, it doesn’t hurt to ask. If they’re interested in you, they will either be willing to adjust or they will explain to you why they cannot. Employers won’t exclude you from the running just for asking questions.