Alumni Career Services

Alumni Career Services: Salary Negotiation

As you progress through your career, sharpening your salary negotiation skills will prove to be valuable as you seek to increase your earnings. Not only will you negotiate your salary when receiving a job offer from a new organization, but you may also need to use these skills when negotiating a raise or promotion with your current employer. You’ll want to spend some time preparing for these conversations by rehearsing your strategy, and the UGA Career Center can help.

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Salary Negotiation

Topics: Salary Negotiation, Pay Gaps, Promotion

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Frequently Asked Questions: Salary Negotiation

How can the Career Center help me with salary negotiation?

We do recommend scheduling an appointment with our alumni career services team to help you prepare for your salary negotiation. We can help you talk through your plans, set goals for the conversation, and role-play the negotiation itself. Also, check out our newsletter for webinars and other events that can help you to negotiate your salary.

I’m applying for a job and the application asks for my desired salary. What should I do?

If at all possible, avoid answering any questions about salary this early in the application process. If the question is required, try entering N/A or “Negotiable” in the field. If you must enter a dollar figure, do some research to find out what a typical salary would be for the position. Some resources to try are nerdwallet.com, glassdoor.com, and salary.com. Remember that you are not beholden to this salary figure, and you can certainly negotiate further if you receive an offer.

I know that I won’t be able to negotiate a higher salary. Is there anything else I can negotiate?

Yes! Depending on the employer, some benefits and perks may be negotiable. For instance, you could ask for more vacation time, a budget for professional development, tuition reimbursement, or even commuting expenses.

I’m worried that my offer will be rescinded if I try to negotiate a higher salary. What should I do?

First, keep in mind that most employers expect some negotiation when they make a job offer, so you will not be offending anyone by opening the conversation. As long as you keep the conversation polite, professional, and positive, you’ll maintain your stellar reputation with the company.

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