Even when you are very familiar with applying and interviewing for jobs, it can be stressful when you get to the negotiation phase. You want to make sure that you are getting what you deserve, but you also want to walk the balance of staying in the running for the position. If you can familiarize yourself with some important information about the job and the perks you will receive, you can make the best decision for your employment future.

Salary

The first thing you need to negotiate is your salary. To do this, you have to be familiar with market rates for someone in your position and with your skills and experience. Remember not to sell yourself short, because you have a lot to offer. Do your research and see what the industry standard is for your kind of position. Don’t forget to take into account any additional training or experience you have that could raise your personal pay. Bring all that information to the table as you negotiate your starting salary.

The Benefits Package

You also want to think about the benefits you are being offered in the position. Sometimes you may see that the salary looks great, but you aren’t getting even basic benefits, and you want to take that into account. You want to make sure that you have adequate insurance in case anything happens at work because about a quarter of adults will become disabled before their retirement. You also want to think about things like your medical and dental coverage, retirement, and the PTO package.

A Sign On Bonus

One thing that many people fail to negotiate for is a sign-on bonus. In many cases you can get a sign on bonus even when you can’t get a higher salary. This is because a bonus represents a one time payment while a salary increase would be ongoing. Remember that you are bringing value to the company and you deserve to be compensated. Bring up the sign on bonus as an option if you aren’t going to get the level of salary you were hoping to get, but you still think it will be enough for you to do the job.

Your job is going to take a lot of your time and energy every day. So you want to make sure that you get what you need from the job you have signed up to do. Negotiating can help you to ensure that you get a job that meets your needs.

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