The hiring official says the job pays $40,000 to $50,000. You want $40,000 to $50,000. No problem..right. Wrong. Giving ranges usually presents problems especially when it comes time to finalize a job offer / acceptance. Here’s why. When a hiring official says $40,000 to $50,000, you as a job seeker focus on the higher number. It’s human nature. We all want all we can get. Understood. The hiring official on the other hand wants to get all he can for the lowest price. It makes him look good to his boss. The problem is we have a $10,000 gap. How do you avoid this pitfall? Simple, don’t talk in ranges. When negotiating for a salary state your number. If it’s $45K then say it. There’s no ambiguity in a number. Mr. Hiring Official when talking about compensation with a candidate, give them a number. No ambiguity. Does this mean there’s no negotiation room. Of course not but now you have a stake in the ground from which to operate. This makes the task simpler for all parties. Remember, give a number, not a range and seal the deal.

Neil Whitman CPC