re: negotiating first salary

Make sure to adjust for different comp packages like 401k matching, vacation time, insurance premiums, etc.. Such as at my job our matching is $1.50 for each $1 up to 6% and the employer pay insurance premiums. So yes, I could get more take home pay from a competitor but I'd need a decent little bump just to make it equal.

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Poodlebrain

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Thanks for the great post. I'm glad the MB exists to get away from standard OT responses

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I was thinking of it like I'll get percentage increases from here on.

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A lot of companies will do across the board % increases, but they will also do merit based bumps as well when management recognizes the need to give them or you ask for them.

I'm telling you, starting salaries is NOT a huge factor. Your largest % increases in salary should come 2-5 years out of school, and if the company doesn't want to pay, then you go somewhere that does. You have a lot more value with 2-5 years of experience than you do right out of school with little or no work experience.

Being a manager at a good company that people want to work for, I'm not giving more than I offer to fresh out of school grads. You haven't proven anything. For MOST positions, you're a dime a dozen. I don't hire Ph.D grads either though.

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We have engineers that make 3x more than where they started out of college less than 10 years ago, accountants making 2x more, and clerks taking their yearly 3% bump. You have to pay market value to keep your talent.