Here’s an email I received from a reader concerned that he won’t get paid what he’s worth:
Hey Ron, you write alot on jobs, interviewing and careers, I was wondering if you had any advice for me. Ive received job offers from 2 different companies. I would love to go to work for either of them but I cant go to work for both! Do you have any ideas on the things I should think about or should I pit one against another to see what added benefits I can get? I don’t want to have any hard feelings when I start, but I do want to be sure I get paid what I’m worth. Thanks for answering this. I know your busy. -Gary
Congratulations on TWO job offers! You obviously were prepared for those interviews. There are a lot of things you should consider, not the least of which is your personal “fit” within the two organizations, but here is a list of 12 things that you might want to think about and possibly negotiate in your favor:
The first secret to getting paid what you’re worth is to let the employer say a number first.
1. Base Salary. In addition to your base salary, consider raises, bonuses and stock options. Do you get an annual raise? What has been the historical precedent? If raises are the norm, is there a formal performance review? What are the criteria for a raise? What is the average raise? Is it based on inflation or on the performance of the company/division/department? What control do YOU have when it comes to your raise?
