A recent survey of 2,184 hiring managers and human resource professionals by Harris Interactive found that employers are willing to negotiate with new hires — and probably on a lot more aspects of your job than you might think.
Here are a few things to ask about in your salary negotiation:
1. The salary itself.
Many people don’t negotiate their salary at all. (How many? Only 57 percent of men try for more cash, while only 7 percent of women bargain before accepting a job offer, according to a number Sheryl Sandberg quoted in her TED Talk.) This is an understandable move in tough economic times, but one that could cost employees hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost wages over the course of a lifetime.
The interesting thing is that employers themselves seem perfectly willing to negotiate salaries. One in four employers in the Harris Interactive Survey said they’d talk counteroffers, even with recent college graduates.
2. A flexible schedule.
Yahoo might be calling its workers home to roost, but other companies are still open to the idea of flex time. Twenty-two percent of employers in the survey said they’d discuss a flexible schedule, while 9 percent were open to telecommuting.
3. Mobile phone costs.
Phones grow more expensive every year, but if the boss is willing to pick up the tab, you won’t care. Thirteen percent of those surveyed said they’d consider paying for an employee’s cell phone use.
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