Job offers and negotiations
Getting a job or internship offer is exciting and gratifying. Congratulations—the work that you’ve put into applying has paid off!
This can also be a stressful time as you navigate decision-making and offer negotiation. Here are some ideas and tips to get you started. The LAS Career Services team is also available with appointments and drop-ins, if you need to talk it through with an experienced professional.
Getting the offer
Whether the offer comes by phone call or email or (less frequently) mail, there are a few things to do immediately:
- Thank the employer for the offer. Even if the offer comes in the form of an email that answers every question you have, reply to acknowledge receipt of the email and thank them for the offer.
- Clarify the timeline for getting a response (or ask for additional time if you think you might need it).
- Make sure you understand the terms of the offer, and get these in writing: salary, benefits, start date, location, hybrid/remote/in-person expectations
Preparing to negotiate
It’s often in your best interest to ask for more than you are initially offered for a job (though compensation for internships is often less flexible.) Preparation is key for a successful negotiation.
- Figure out your target salary. Sites like Glassdoor.com, payscale.com, and salary.com can help you identify the salary ranges for similar positions with similar organizations in your geographic area. Your target salary will often lie somewhere in the middle, but the range indicates what you can reasonably ask for if the salary you’re offered matches your target. Paycheckcity.com/calculator can help you determine what your take-home salary would be given your target salary
- Figure out your “walk away point,” the minimum salary you are willing to accept. It can be helpful to calculate the income you would need to cover rent, utilities, food, transportation, student loan payments, medical expenses, and the like, adjusted for the cost of living in your area. Sites like payscale.com, salary.com, nerdwallet.com, and moneygeek.com have online cost-of-living calculators.
Negotiating
Salary negotiations are a standard feature of the job search process. No one will think less of you for asserting your worth. Start Smart is an excellent free online workshop from the American Association of University Women that will guide you through a successful salary negotiation. In brief:
- Reflect on the value you would add to the organization. Review the specifics in your experience that convey your worth.
- Pay close attention to the benefits, particularly if you’re comparing offers. Insurance coverage, educational benefits, and retirement contributions are important parts of a compensation package.
- Stay firm on your “walk away point.”
- Practice responding to potential objections.
- Emphasize your desire to work with the employer to arrive at a mutual agreeable compensation package.
- Ask for your target salary or (if they’ve met your target) a higher salary within the range for similar positions. Point out the value you add to the organization.
- Be prepared to discuss other benefits (paid time off, hybrid/remote work opportunities, insurance costs, etc.) if the salary itself proves to be nonnegotiable.