Negotiate?

I always get asked this question by candidates... "Should I negotiate the offer?" , and my response is always the same..."It depends".

There are a lot of issues that go into negotiating an acceptance offer and a salary and benefits package. Company culture, the position and duties, your previous experience and skill sets all play into how much, if any at all, you should negotiate. My general rule of thumb is that negotiating just to negotiate, is never a great idea. With some companies/positions it is expected that you would negotiate, while others start with their best offer. The keys are to have a complete understanding of the situation and be knowledgable about the process.

A lot of people say negotiating is an art, and there are a lot of great articles & books written on negotiating job offers.  If you are in the middle of a job offer negotiation or just want to brush up on your technique here are a few resources that I have seen lately to help navigate the process...

Fracat...Everyone Can Negotiate

Quintessential Careers

The Quick Interview and Salary Negotiation Guide