What Salary Are You Looking For?

I talk about money every day and while the subject can be uncomfortable for some, I find it proactive and therefore worth the temporary discomfort. To me, it is better to have “the talk” early with yourself, your family, and within your relationship because you are more likely to be successful when everyone is on the same page. However, in my current job, I have found the subject of salary negotiations to be the hardest subject to bring up. I kick myself every day for not engaging in salary negotiations BEFORE accepting the job, which is a mistake that research has shown is most made by women.

In an article for Reader’s Digest, an unnamed HR professional from New York admitted, “If we ask ‘What salary are looking for?’ say you’re flexible, or say it depends on the responsibilities of the job. Try not to name a salary unless we really push you, because that gives us a leg up in negotiation”. I think this is excellent information because once you sign on the dotted lines, there is little room for renegotiating.