How to negotiate salary in your first job interview

You are freshly out of college and all enthusiastic to step into the busy world of professionalism. With the enthusiasm comes the jittering feeling that gives you butterflies in your stomach. You had an impressive GPA in college and have adequate knowledge about your field yet the thought of your first job interview always makes you queasy. One of the major reasons behind it is the hype created by people about such an interview’s significance and how it may prove to be life-changing at times. Yes, it is human nature that everyone wants to nail it but there is nothing wrong if things don’t work out. There are a number of opportunities out there for you and you can always hop on to the next interview.

Irrespective of the number of tries it takes, you have finally landed on that stage of the job interview wherein you feel that maybe something might work out. This is the time when you decide what salary expectations you have and other basic queries which one would like to clarify with the recruiter before the hiring process takes place. It is easy to discuss timings, job role, office conduct, and other such topics but when it comes to salary negotiation, we shy away. Especially if you are a fresher, you often feel that you aren’t competent enough to make an offer. But it is important to note that if the company is ready to hire you, it means that you not only have the necessary qualifications but also something else which the other candidates didn’t.

Recruiters expect you to negotiate and also keep a cushion for the same.

Negotiation is acceptable in the first job interview

Just because you are new to the professional arena, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have the right to negotiate. In fact, recruiters expect you to negotiate and also keep a cushion for the same. Your days of internship are over and now you deserve to be paid for your efforts. Inexperience does not mean that you have to happily accept whatever is offered to you. Instead, do your research regarding what kind of salary is offered to people with similar qualifications and job role. This will give you an idea about the current market scenario. According to this, you can pitch the amount to your recruiter.

Remember that it’s your first job interview hence try to be modest in your approach. Just like the recruiters, even you must keep a cushion while putting forward a particular number. Negotiation is also a sign that you have confidence in your abilities. It shows that you believe that you deserve the given amount due to your work quality. This gives an image to the interviewer that you know what you are doing. It means that you aim to yield high work productivity as well. While negotiating, don’t simply agree to any number the recruiter offers. In case it is lower than your expectation, then state the given reason politely and walk away after thanking them.

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