Make More Money, Be More Valued!

Hey Everyone!

Today, I wanted to talk to you about job offers and salary negotiation. As a student at WPI, you know you are getting a great education, and because of a fantastic CDC, you also get multiple job interviews. Say you ace the interview, and you even get a job offer, now what?

You have been given an offer letter with a hourly rate as an intern, or salary and benefits as a full time. Make sure you take your time in evaluating your offer, the company, and research to find out your worth and if you are being given a fair compensation. I have always thought of it like this, unless the offer is extraordinary, there is always room for improvement (as long as you feel you deserve more). Think about it this way: you are about to buy your first home and you see the list price, what is your first instinct (unless you really really love the house)? Offer less than the list price or even low ball it. The employer might be doing the same to you and so it is always okay to negotiate until you are satisfied.

A few things to keep in mind: check out the CDC website to find out the statistics for average salaries for WPI students, according to majors. Also, research on websites like glassdoor.com how much interns or full time employees are being paid and know that there are other ways of getting more benefits, instead of just asking for increase in pay rate (you can always ask for housing or monthly expenses stipend, extra vacation days, or better health benefits). Finally, if this is your true dream job, you should be content with what you are getting and not be too greedy, because in the end, getting the experience and being happy is what truly matters.

Salary negotiation can always be tough and awkward, so to get more information, you should definitely come to the workshop “Job Offers and Salary Negotiation” by Steve Koppi on Wednesday, December 3rd at 5 pm in AK 116. There will also be free food provided if you register online here. If you are unable to attend, you can always make an appointment through Job Finder to meet with a career counselor in a one-on-one setting to talk about your job offer and some negotiation strategies.

Thank you for reading and until time,

– Omesh