From the General Sessions: Negotiate Your Salary. No Matter What.

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By Robin Farmer

Do not answer questions about salary too early, even if that means leaving a job application blank.

So advised Sylvia Nealy David, MBA, managing principal of Human and Technology Capital Advisors, who led the Thursday General Session, "Negotiating Salary: An Art."

"They will ask you what you want. Don’t fall for it! Leave it blank on the application," David said. If the application requires an answer, "write market price or put zeros."

When asked directly what salary you seek, consider these three responses.

WHAT TO SAY
Start by saying: "I am much more interested in doing the type of work here, than I am in the size of the initial offer," she advised.

If that answer fails to work, another option is to say, "I will consider any reasonable offer." If still pressed for a salary amount, say, "‘You are in a much better position to know how much I’m worth to you than I am.’ Once again, you have been polite, and again you have refused to name a number."

WHAT TO DO
Before negotiations begin, research the market price for the position, Nealy said. Get this information at free websites such as salary.com, payscale.com and salaryexpert.com. Just plug in the job title, years of experience and the geographical region.

Never start negotiations using the median salary. Start with the salary at the 75th percentile since negotiations will likely go down and not up, she said.

Other tips to help you become a better negotiator:

Always negotiate your salary, whatever level. Be able to articulate what you bring to the table.
Learn your total cash compensation. "But don’t get hung up on that if you want to build wealth," she said. Look at the long-term incentive plans, such as stock options, 401(k) and 457 plans. "That’s where you amass wealth."
Understand the company’s expectations. Ask up front how you will be evaluated. How will you gauge my success? What are the key indicators?
Be bold. Bonuses are rarely paid to someone earning under $75,000. Ask for it anyway and tie it to a performance goal.
Pay attention to benefits, such as professional development, which could include negotiating an executive coach who can help you become more successful.
Ask for more money when placed in an interim position with an increase in the depth and breadth of your responsibilities. "You must open your mouth and say this is additional work and I want to be paid for it."

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