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JOB SEARCH TIPS
WHAT
IS IN AN OFFER?
Before
we can determine what we need or want, or what the company is
willing to offer, it is important to understand what might be
included in an offer. Too often, candidates for employment think
that an offer is only the wage or salary that they are to be paid.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Listed
below are just a few of the items that can make up an offer of
employment besides pay:
| Life
Insurance |
Sick
Pay |
Social
Memberships |
| Health
Insurance |
Vacation |
Recreational
Programs |
| Disability
Insurance |
Holidays |
Legal
Services |
| Dental
Insurance |
Child
Care |
Financial
Counseling |
| Pension
Plan |
Leaves
of Absence |
Outplacement
Services |
| Profit
Sharing Plan |
Educational
Plans |
Salary
Increase Frequency |
| Stock
Plans |
Relocation
Programs |
Specialized
Training |
| Bonuses |
Expense
Account |
Content
of Job |
| Commissions |
Car
(allowance) |
Job
Level/Title |
| Incentive
Pay |
Association
Memberships |
Signing
Bonus |
As you can
see from the above listed items, the offer contains significantly
more than just wage and salary.
What
You Need to Know
Now
that you know what might be included in an offer, let’s go
back and see what you need to know to be effective in your negotiations:
- Your total
prior compensation package.
- Your “rock
bottom” financial need.
- The industry
average for your type and level of job.
- The company’s
reputation on wage/salary and benefits.
- What you
want in an offer package.
- The company’s
urgency to fill the position.
- The company’s
increase review policy.
- How you
fit the company’s needs.
- The scarcity
of your talent.
- Your urgency.
- The company’s
business picture.
All of the
above points to one inescapable fact: You must do your research.
Not to do this puts you at a severe disadvantage in negotiation.
Negotiation
is the art of trying to find common ground. How can you do that
if you don’t even know where the ground is?
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