I had just graduated from college and I was on the hunt for my first job, focusing on marketing roles in tech companies. After a few months of job hunting I was really discouraged. I was still unemployed, My effort of sending out resumes constantly did not result in any offers.
Thankfully, after final round interviews with a small startup I was really excited about, the COO called to offer me the position. Initially, I was thrilled. But when he then told me that my salary would be $58k, Saying I was disappointed would be an understatement. I had been doing salary research for some of the larger tech companies, which pay more, so I was expecting a higher starting salary.
I didn’t know how to react to the offer. Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled to finally have a job offer. But I knew I needed to do research on the salary and potentially ask for more.
I used a response that a mentor of mine once suggested: “I’m really excited about the position, but the salary is lower than I expected. I’m flexible and willing to negotiate but I’d like to do a little more research on this and speak about it in a few days.”
He paused. I don’t think he expected me to push back.
He gave me five days to respond to the offer.
How did you decide what was a good salary right out of college?
I went to a Facebook group I was a part of called Tech Ladies and asked for advice. The women in this group are incredibly supportive and give great advice, so I knew they would have suggestions for me.
When I posted my offer, a lot of women assured me that it was a fair salary for the position, but it was absolutely OK to make the case for a higher starting salary. They also gave me the idea to do more research on the salary and look for comparable salaries on sites like Glassdoor. The salary range that I found was $62k-$68k.
With that information I scheduled another call with the COO to discuss the offer.
I was really nervous about negotiating for the first time, so right before the call I gave myself a much-needed pep talk. I looked at my resume to go over my accomplishments and made a list of all of the skills I could contribute to the team.
How did you negotiate salary for your first job?
It was very uncomfortable.
When someone is offering you a job that you really want, it’s hard to say, “thanks, but I want more.”
I launched into a script I had prepared for myself that highlighted my skills and told him that after doing research I felt an appropriate salary was $66k.
He talked to me about the benefits of the role and what I’d learn by joining their company. He then pushed me a little harder and asked why I believed that I deserved more.
I was nervous, faltered a little bit, and gave some reasons that weren’t very strong (for example, I justified asking for more based on the high cost of living, rather than any of my personal attributes).
He then told me that the max they could offer me was $64K.
I wasn’t ready to continue pushing. That amount made me happy. Plus, I wanted the conversation to be over. I told him I was happy to accept that offer, but I’d like a 6-month review.
He quickly agreed and we ended the call.
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What did you learn from the experience of negotiating your first job?
There are some things that I wish I had done differently. I wish that I had prepared a more articulate response as to why I deserved the higher salary, rather than stating cost of living for the area, which doesn’t speak to why I personally deserved more.
During a negotiation conversation I learned that I need to make my points clear. I asked for a 6-month review but I didn’t explicitly tell him that I wanted to be reviewed and considered for a raise. My worry now is that at my 6-month review I’m going to need to negotiate again because he’s not expecting for me to ask for a raise.
Though there are things I would do differently in the next negotiation, I’m so glad that I had the courage to ask for more.
What advice do you have for others who are negotiationg entry level jobs?
Join an affinity group
I know that women are underrepresented in tech companies and I proactively looked for networking groups to join. That was incredibly beneficial. They not only gave me advice, but they helped boost my self-confidence. There are so many groups to join based on your industry, gender, race, or interests and I really recommend finding one that fits for you.
Focus on your self-confidence
Being unemployed can be hard on your self-worth. I’m so glad that I remained focused on my strengths as a candidate during the job search, rather than letting myself feel desperate and willing to take anything that came my way.
Need more tips for negotiating entry level positions?
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