Salary

The most important consideration is how bad you want to leave your current gig and if you want to risk getting out. Plus, believe it or not, some papers give you their best offer. Not everyone plays hardball.
The ideal situation is to have two offers on the table so regardless, you know you're going somewhere.

 

Editude touched on this, but put it this way: The bump you negotiate during hiring is the best raise you're likely to get at that paper. Most places don't give real raises anymore, they just feed you that 2 or 3 percent bullshit. So get them up as high as you can when you come in, so that those 2 percenters mean that much more.

So yes, negotiate. They've investing time in hiring you, and have decided you're the best person for the job. They don't want to go through the hiring process again. It doesn't hurt to ask for more money. Let them decide whether you're worth the bump, then you get to decide if it's worth it to take the job. Just don't be an asshole about it.

 

I was fortunate in my current gig that I had a number in mind, and they offered more than that. I thought about shooting for more, but figured I shouldn't be greedy. So, always have a figure going in mind at the onset of the hiring/interview process.

 

No kidding. I interviewed for an associate SID job at a WAC school, things went well. They were offering less than what my shop was paying me. The cost of living in the college town is double what it is here. (I built a four-bedroom house two years ago for $100K. In the college town, you can't buy any age house with more than one bedroom for less than $180K.)

I negotiated for more money, and didn't get the job because I "didn't have enough experience." So, either I was lowballed or they hired a fucking idiot with "more experience" who would work for less than $23K per year.

 

Totally depends ... to me.

If I really like my job I'm in, you bet I negotiate until the new job is an unqualified upgrade in every sense for me.

If I can't stand my current job, I'm like Albert Brooks in Defending Your Life regarding any negotiation for the new job.

 

Actually feel pretty good reading this post. Never once had to negotiate salary. Didn't think wanting an extra $2,000 a year was worth: a) potentially losing the job or b) casting myself in a bad light.
Now that I'm in a position where I determine salaries, I'm up front, telling everyone that I will get you every single penny I believe you deserve. People who haggle for an extra thousand a year amuse me. The government gets 40 percent so you're basically bitching for about 50 bucks a month. Good. Get that money. Enjoy an extra dinner and a movie a month. Hope it makes you feel appreciated.
Our company has a salary structure based on experience, but there is decent area of flexibility.
Haggling over a few bucks, even a couple thousand, isn't worth it. Most of us aren't going to get rich doing this job. You knew that when you walked into your first J-school class and the crusty, bitter fuckstick told you so. If money's your mission, find a sugar-momma.
Work your ass off, earn every penny you can, but tor the love of God, do yourself a favor and don't go bitching over a couple bucks.

 

work your ass off and work for less ... JRC probably will promote you and give you a raise after reading that one. hell, jelenic might even personally give you a rusty trombone.

corperate bitchs such as yourself never fail to amaze me.

 

Never said to work your ass off for less. Reading comprehension is a much-appreciated talent. The point is quite the opposite, mr. petty.
You work hard and people will notice, and speaking money-wise that comes in the form better merit raises. (Merit means not everyone gets the same. You earn it.) Not every company, not every EE, ME or SE is out there to screw the employees. I'm sure there are, but there are more companies who respect it's employees, and I'm glad to work for one. Those wanting to sit around and bitch that they're getting screwed probably are ... by themselves by not working to their potential.
Corporate bitches such as myself? That's good. If having a job I love, making enough to pay bills, being motivated by making the final product as good as possible and respecting a company that respects me, while wanting the same for my department makes me a corporate bitch, fine.
Beats being a bitterman, any day and every day.

 

a lesson in reading comprehension:

you just said "Never said to work your ass off for less."
but what you really said in the previous post: Work your ass off ..."

50 percent debunked.

you also said in the previous post: "Didn't think wanting an extra $2,000 a year was worth: a) potentially losing the job or b) casting myself in a bad light."

you also said: "People who haggle for an extra thousand a year amuse me. The government gets 40 percent so you're basically bitching for about 50 bucks a month. Good. Get that money. Enjoy an extra dinner and a movie a month. Hope it makes you feel appreciated."

very nice touch of sarcasm there at the end. reminds me of a corporate bitch.

you also said: "Haggling over a few bucks, even a couple thousand, isn't worth it." excuse me, what was that? oh yeah" "Haggling over a few bucks, even a couple thousand, isn't worth it."

you also said: "Most of us aren't going to get rich doing this job."

AND: "You knew that when you walked into your first J-school class and the crusty, bitter fuckstick told you so."

AND: "If money's your mission, find a sugar-momma." i guess that would be instead of actually earning it.

AND: "Work your ass off, earn every penny you can, but tor the love of God, do yourself a favor and don't go bitching over a couple bucks."

who's the fuckstick now corporate bitch?

 

oh yeah, did it kinda tickle when jelenic "hit the high notes?"

 

Quite obviously, your are.

It's hearing the inane rantings of a bitterman like yourself that makes me appreciate the job I have.

You did do a fine job retyping a previous post. Reminds me of my history teacher in seventh grade who just wrote on the chalkboard for hours upon hours for no apparent reason. Is that you, Mr. Haggerty?

Let's make this simple: No one is going to give you anything, you earn it. It's a life lesson most of us learned long ago, and thank you for being the re-fresher course for many.

You should earn what you believe your worth, but if you're not willing to work your ass off for that purpose then find another job, another career because it's bitter people like yourself that give this business a bad rap.

You want a handout, go to the off-ramp and hold a sign next to the homeless guy. You want a successful career. Work your ass off and do a good job. You will be rewarded.

Enough said.

 

hey corporate bitch, if i am being hired by a company, the work i've put in for several years also will be counted when i come in and we talk salary. if i'm heads and shoulders above the rest of the other candidates, you're going to pay to get me, although it would be a cold day before i ever went to work for you and bob.

i find it rather humorous you attempt to make a point in a previous post, and then when you have your face rubbed in it you respond with a "You did do a fine job retyping a previous post. Reminds me of my history teacher in seventh grade ..." blah blah blah blah, which has nothing to do with the point that was made.

and yes corporate bitch, i do expect to earn what i believe i'm worth, from the first day i go to work at a new paper. if i'm not worth what i'm asking, i guess i wouldn't be employed, would i?

i'm sure with your corporate doublespeak, jelenic does have his hand out for you every time you walk by regardless if its on an off-ramp or not. i have succeeded in my career fuckstick and i intend to be paid what i'm worth if i choose to work at another shop.

one last statement for you corporate bitch: bitter man is two words.
one last question for you corporate bitch: what does the bottom half of sack really taste like?