First you need to know what level of income you need to make ends meet, pay the bills, and at least maintain your present standard of living.  Take out your check book and figure out what it costs you to live each month over the last several months and come up with a monthly average.  Take that monthly average times 12 to come up with an annual income you require and below which you cannot go and still make it financially.  Call that amount $X and let it represent the bottom of your anticipated salary range.  Add about $10K to $X to come up with the top of your anticipated salary range and call it $Y.  Although you may never have to tell anybody what that range is, YOU need to know what it is for negotiation purposes.  In simply terms, you need to be earning a starting salary that's at least within the $X to $Y range.  My expectation would be that you won't be asked what salary you expect to earn, but told what the salary offer is.  If the offer is within or above your $X to $Y range, depending on whether or not you have any solid experience in the radiology field, take the job, particularly if you don't have any practical experience in the field.  If the offer is close to the bottom of your $X to $Y range or below it, you can politely ask if the offer is negotiable and see what they say.  If it's not and the offer is less than $X, you might have to keep looking.  If the offer is negotiable, you should counter with a range that's probably in the $X+$5K to $Y range.  The other way to approach this is to do some of your own research in the area on what radiological technologists in Florida are being paid - with experience and without it.  I'm sure your school has some idea of starting salaries in the area.  Also see what you can find online or in area newspaper want-ads.  Compare what the going rate is to your basic $X to $Y range and see if you need to make any adjustments in your anticipated range, based on what jobs within the field are paying.  Hope this helps.

Paul W. Barada

The Negotiation Expert