Q & A Table of Contents
They Are Known To Pay Badly
From: Ann, Sycamore, Illinois
Question: I have been working through a temp agency for the past 3 months and I do like the job. They told me they have planned on hiring me full-time. My concern is regarding salary. My co-workers talk freely about how underpaid they are and I'm worried about how to negotiate a salary I can live with. Any suggestions?
Response: You need to do a bunch of homework: How much are people with the kind of job you're doing get paid in the community where you work? Is your current employer genuinely a lower-paying company than others in the area - or is it possible the current full-time employees are trying to reduce your expectations? How much pay will satisfy your needs, both material and psychological?
Once you have a clear picture of how much pay is appropriate, what kinds of alternatives you have to employment with your current company, then you can go forward to discuss the pay and conditions the employer will offer if you become a full-time employee.
In other words, it is unwise to undertake negotiations based on assumptions. You need to find clear indications of what is real and what is rumor. Preparing for negotiation, understanding your interests and alternatives will give you a greater capacity to stick to your guns in terms of the factors that make up your bottom line. Being prepared means you are less likely to be surprised. You may also have non-financial issues that can figure into your compensation: vacation time, flexible schedule, transportation help, or other similar issues that may not cost your employer cash out of pocket but may increase the quality of your life.
Think fast, talk slowly, and don't take other folks' word as fact. As Ronald Reagan, a son of Illinois said, "Trust but verify."
Good luck,
Steve
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