The good news is that if you’ve been “following the program”, outlined in prior posts on this topic, you have received and weighed a number of job offers!
In fact, our son (Ian / 25) has gotten a step ahead of my posts (I’ve been busy with a new client project), as he begins his first “professional” job as a Web Developer today, at a high tech company in Burlington, MA. Psyched!
So now, I’ll catch-up with reality. We must cover closing the deal 🙂
As a recent college graduate you don’t have a “ton” of negotiating room, but you can take steps to ensure you are being offered fair and equitable pay.
One very effective resource (yep, online) is www.PayScale.com. Simply visit the site, follow the prompts and it will provide you a range of pay that you should expect to receive based on the detailed profile parameters requested on you, the job and location. And, it takes less than 5 minutes to complete!
Assuming the pay offered is appropriate (what you were expecting and is in the range of pay suggested by our research on PayScale.com) and you’ve weighed all the other considerations in the prior post on this topic, you can now take the leap of accepting the most desirable job option.
Yes, I know, they’d really like to have you start immediately. But, your current (retail) job has you on their schedule for the next several days. As such, you are encouraged to provide the obligatory 2-week notice. That is, NEVER BURN BRIDGES. It is a very small world and you never know if and/or when you may cross paths again with your current employer. This might even include needing their “good words” in the future, as a reference.
Fortunately, when our son Ian broke the news of his new job to his employer (who absolutely loves his work) they graciously let him off the hook in less than 2-weeks so that he could begin his future career!
With this post, I’m closing out the series on “How to Land That First Professional Job.”
I hope that you find it as helpful as my son did, in landing his first “professional” job!
If and/or when you know of a new college graduate looking to land their first professional job, send them to this site. All they need to do is use the feature at the bottom of the page to search on “How to land” and it will pull up all posts on this subject.
All the best!
Be Brave Not Safe 
Way to go, Ian! Best of luck on the new job.
Craig, what is your opinion on recruiters or HR managers asking what your current salary is? Some advice I’ve received is to politely tell them that that information should not be relevant so as to not factor into what their offer will be. I know you don’t really deal with that sort of situation with your line of work currently but have you had any experience with that scenario in the past?
Hi Bill,
A very good question. I think the advice you’ve heard is good…As difficult / uncomfortable as it may be, during negotiations, no-one wants to be the first to throw out a number.
If you feel really pressed, you could let them know what you are looking for (as a way to float a number that is MUCH higher than your current salary)…
I like that strategy – proposing what you think you’re worth rather than what you’re making now. Much appreciated.
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