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Salary Negotiation - Maximize Your Salary With These Top Tips

Imagine this....

You're in the middle of an interview for your perfect job. Everything is going really well. It looks like the job is yours!
Moments later, you realize you've accepted a salary far lower than you wanted. Although you were prepared to negotiate your salary, you panicked at the last minute and lost your nerve.

As you leave the interview room, your excitement at getting the job is tainted. You can't help feeling undervalued, even a little duped.

So what went wrong?

The Importance of Salary Negotiation

"Can you give me some idea of the salary you're expecting?" is one of those job interview questions that can really get you tongue-tied.

What do you say?

Ask for too much and you risk looking unrealistic, over confident, maybe even greedy. Ask for too little and you risk undervaluing yourself and your contribution, and ultimately being underpaid.

For many of us, salary is one of the most important factors in taking a job, but it's often the hardest to deal with.

One of us knows the consequences of unsuccessful salary negotiation:

When asked to give a figure within the salary range in her very first job interview, Catherine gave one just above the lowest figure, even though she fully intended to suggest a figure just above the middle.

Nerves got the better of her and worried about sounding greedy, she suggested a lower amount. When she was offered the job, there was the salary she suggested, right at the start of the offer letter. She wasn't surprised but she was disappointed.

So how can you avoid this happening to you?

Top Wage Negotiation Tips

Research is essential when it comes to suggesting a reasonable salary. Take time to look though job advertisements for similar positions. Research the WWW or post a question in a forum or on Yahoo! Answers
Research the Company too. A large Company, if asked, will probably have more scope to offer you a better benefits package than a smaller one
Don't initiate salary discussions or say anything about pay during your job interview unless asked
If you're asked for a figure, suggest a range rather than an actual figure. This gives room to negotiate if a firm job offer is made during the job interview
If you're offered the job and reach agreement on a salary, make sure the written job offer states this amount clearly
And when it comes to the actual salary negotiation here are 6 essential salary negotiation tips.