1. Take some time to consider a salary offer. Ask for at least 24 to 48 hours. Silence is golden, or it can become so, when you just let it hang there awhile following an initial offer. Don't rush to fill the quiet void!
2. Weigh any offer against the company's expectations of you in the position rather than your personal needs. The company has put itself on the line with its offer. Rest assured they have a cap, but you may have some wiggle room based upon how much value the company perceives you can bring them.
3. Prior to any job interview, compare salaries for similar positions. Websites such as www.salary.com offer tools for research. Knowing your own worth and why a company would want to hire you, gives you bargaining power. A salary offer itself is testament to the fact that the company perceives your value.
4. Write a "counter-offer" letter thanking the company for its offer to you, recap why they say they want you, and enthusiastically proclaim your desire to join their team provided they reconsider the amount of their offer. Accept the risk involved with this approach and be prepared to walk away if it doesn't work.
5. Know when it's no longer in your best interest to keep negotiating and then move on to the next opportunity. Usually, if the situation doesn't feel quite right, it isn't. You won't be happy working wherever you feel you are the proverbial square peg in a round hole, especially if you feel you were taken advantage of.
6. If the thought of salary negotiation makes you feel overwhelmed and confused, seek out a career coach to help you develop your strategy and get comfortable with its delivery.
