Page 32 - Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Resume

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Part 1 ➤ Plan to Succeed

Big Bucks, Little Bucks

Negotiating your salary doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking, especially if you
have a good strategy and understand the rules of the game. Following are a
few things you can do to prepare for the bargaining game:
➤ Be sure that your resume reflects the level of responsibility and com-
pensation you deserve. (You’ll learn how to do that in Part 2, “Six
Job-Hunt Hint Steps to a Perfect Resume.”)
If you wish you looked more valu- ➤ Before going to the negotiations, figure out your desired salary range:
able to an employer, consider how much money you need to make (the lowest amount you’ll
doing one of the following to accept) and how much you’d like to make (the amount you’d be
offered in a perfect world).
increase your worth:
➤ Understand what comprises the whole compensation package being
➤ Get an advanced degree.
offered (for example, stock options, bonuses, and healthcare insur-
➤ Obtain a professional certifi- ance) and how you can negotiate its components to meet your needs.
cation in your field.
➤ Do a mock negotiation with a career counselor, friend, or fellow job
➤ Receive special training seeker to polish your bargaining skills.
that’s relevant to your field. ➤ Read books on salary negotiations, such as Negotiating Your Salary:
➤ Volunteer at a nonprofit How to Make $1,000 a Minute by Jack Chapman (Ten Speed Press) and
organization where you can my book, Get a Better Job The Lazy Way (Macmillan USA).
demonstrate your skills. ➤ Hire a negotiating coach to hold your hand through every step. This
coaching is especially helpful if you think you don’t have good
money sense or if you tend to fall apart under pressure.

Because each of your subsequent raises is based on your initial salary, negotiations at the time of
your job offer are extremely important. Take the time now to build your knowledge of and confi-
dence in how to talk money so that you’ll be a winner in the long run.

Bonus Check

Here’s how to evaluate whether it’s cost-effective to hire a salary-negotiation coach: Hire
him if you think there’s room in the negotiations to increase your salary by more than the
amount of his fee. In other words, if his flat fee is $450, hire him if there’s a good chance
you could gain $500 or more with some professional advice.

The Least You Need to Know

➤ Develop a career plan that fulfills your personal, financial, and professional dreams.
➤ Write your resume only after deciding what type of work you want to do next.
➤ Use several approaches to investigate the job market and to distribute your resume.

➤ Set up systems for keeping yourself organized and motivated through thick and thin.
➤ Take time to learn and practice good interviewing and negotiating skills.

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