How about a change from the continued rhetoric of where jobs are located to having a conversation about what “you the bench jeweler” want in a new job? This really isn’t nor should it be about me and the jobs I offer. It is and should be about you and your career. What work environment are you looking for? Are you being paid what you’re worth? Do you want benefits more than just a paycheck? Are you happy with where you live? Would you prefer to be in a new location? Where do you see yourself in 3 to 5 years both personally and professionally? Are you on track to get there?

Let’s have that conversation. Together we can work toward getting you where you want to be whether it’s weeks, months, or years from now.

From “Life’s Little Instruction Book” remember to…..

New Job Offer? Three Salary Negotiation Tips To Get More Money

By Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES
Forbes Councils Member

Whether you are negotiating a salary increase with your current employer or attempting to negotiate your salary on a new job offer, few processes feel as stressful as the salary negotiation process. As an interview coach, I often get asked, “How do you negotiate your salary after receiving a job offer?” and “What steps can you take to remain confident throughout the salary negotiation process?”

Here are three tips to confidently negotiate your salary and get a better offer.

1. Conduct market research to determine your value.

“What are your salary expectations?” can feel like a daunting question, especially if you are new to salary negotiation or attempting to increase your salary at your current employer. Thanks to the power of the internet, you can go into the salary negotiation process with confidence and conviction.

Harness the power of market research to calculate the salary for someone with your experience, education and skills. GlassDoor, Salary.com and PayScale are all great tools to determine what the market is paying for your skillset. Moreover, you can leverage community forums like Blind and Reddit to see how industry peers with similar backgrounds are being compensated at your target companies. I share additional industry on conducting market research in this interview with Mark Perna.

While we are discussing market research, avoid the mistake of basing your salary requirements on your personal needs, cost of living or salary history. Personal needs are less compelling to employers. Instead, you want to focus on the market rate when negotiating salary.

2. Calculate your total compensation package.

It is easy to get hyper-focused on the base salary of your job offer. While base salary is an important factor when negotiating your compensation package, it is only one component of the compensation equation. You need to take into account your total compensation package when negotiating your salary.

Depending on your company and position, you will want to allow for the possibility of a sign-on bonus, relocation bonus and/or retention bonus alongside your offer. Additionally, you will want to inquire into the company’s health insurance program for employees. Furthermore, take time to calculate the current and future value of deferred compensation, including retirement contributions, employee stock options and equity. Oh, and do not forget to include any additional employee perks, like tuition and continuing education reimbursement, life insurance, gym membership and childcare programs for employees.

As you can see, compensation beyond your base salary can quickly add tens of thousands of dollars to your total compensation package. With some of my executive clients, deferred compensation and fringe benefits can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional compensation beyond their base salary.

3. Balance confidence with flexibility during salary negotiation.

Once you have calculated the market value for your experience and determined your total compensation requirements, it is time to negotiate your salary and secure your new job offer. I encourage my interview coaching clients to negotiate over email, as this not only helps them remain confident but there are also often several decision-makers involved in the salary negotiation process. Email allows both you and the employer time to strategize responses — and involve an interview coach as needed.

While it is important to display confidence throughout the interview and salary negation processes, you also want to remain flexible. One way to demonstrate your flexibility is to provide a salary range rather than a single number. Also, be prepared to meet your future employer in the middle if they offer to meet your salary request halfway.

Finally, as you head into the salary negotiation process, be sure to approach it from a place of abundance. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking for more money. You’ve got this!