What is the salary range for someone with your education and experience? Salaries depend on the job and the location of the job. The following links will help you investigate how job salaries or offers compare to those surveyed.
Principles of Salary Negotiation
Plan Ahead
- Research the company’s salary ranges and review their benefits package. Also research similar positions in the same location using the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Glassdoor, and/or Firsthand
- Research what other UT graduates’ salaries in your area or study with the UTK Annual Salary Report
- Know your worth and be prepared to articulate it. Why do you deserve a higher salary? What are you bringing the company? What qualifications do you have?
- Be familiar with the cost of living in the area using a calculator like Cost of Living
- Remember the value of a comprehensive benefits package!
Don’t agree too quickly
- The employer may offer the job and salary simultaneously. Never say yes right away. Instead, tell them that you will think about the offer and will get back to them within a certain time frame. Make sure to give yourself time to contemplate the offer and make an informed decision.
Don’t give the employer a specific number
- If an employer asks you what type of salary you are looking for, be vague with your response. Say something like “I am seeking a competitive offer but salary is not what is most important to me.”
- You can also give them a range of salaries: “Based on my research of the industry and cost of living in Knoxville, I would like to be in the 30K- 40K range”
Don’t get personal
- The employer doesn’t care about student loans, car payments, etc. Your salary will be based on the hirer’s assessment of three things: Your ability to get the job done, the organization’s budget, market rates for your job and location