Are entry level salary offers negotiableI think there may be some wiggle room regarding salary negotiation if a new grad has co-op or internship experience, especially if the prospective job opportunity is with the company for whom the grad did the co-op or internship. It also depends, in my opinion, on the relevance of the co-op or internship experience to the requirements of the job being sought. So, yes, I think there is some negotiating power, but not a lot - probably not enough to venture beyond politely asking if the salary offer is negotiable. Your kidding right? All jobs are negotiable, worst case, you ask, they say "no", you take the original offer. I negotiated my job a a hostess when I was 15 years old working in a restuarant. I think I got an extra 10 cents or something... And every single job I have ever taken in my life, including my first college co-op in the late 90's to do web development and install a network for a whopping 7$ per hour. I got them up to $7.50... My motto is ask for what you want in life, sometimes you get it. Does it cost to ask? It's always free to ask. Just because someone is fresh out of college doesn't mean they are worthless. Everyone starts somewhere. Is the scenario any different for a new grad with co-op or internship experience? The university I worked at used as one of its premier marketing tools the fact that most of their programs required substantial co-op (paid) experience, and others incorporated unpaid internships. In some programs, one went 5 years instead of 4 strictly due to the heavy co-op requirements. So, if you' re a new grad with no long-term work experience, but, say, two or three co-op jobs during your school years, do you think this gives a person some bargaining power? Or does it vary by field--useful for some and not for others? Or does just learning "how" to work make a difference (based on what I' ve seen, it does, but my experience working with new grads is very light). I interviewed a sportscaster for a paper I did in college, and his answer to my question of "What' s the most important thing you would advise those seeking a career as a sportscaster do to prepare?" was, most emphatically, to do a co-op or internship during your college years. I tend to think that very few entry-level jobs for new grads with little or no real-world work experience, regardless of the degree, are negotiable. My impression from a quarter-century in the pre-employment screening business tells me that the degree is the door-opener, but it's experience that makes the cash register ring in terms of negotiable starting salaries. Entry-level jobs are called "entry-level" for a very good reason - they're designed for new employees to, in effect, earn while they learn. That means until the new grad can really begin to help the employer do what he or she is in business to do - make money - a new grad isn't worth all that much more than an entry-level salary. Of course there is the occasional exception, but generally speaking, that new degree really doesn't give the new graduate very much negotiating power. Add some relevant experience to the degree, however, and that situation changes dramatically. Paul W. Barada The Negotiation Expert What to you think? Are entry-level salary offers for new grads with little or no real-world job experience negotiable or not? Thats a great question. I think many feel an entry level salary (not a $/hr job) is not negociable for the exact reason that they do not have any experience to bring to the table. However, if the company is making an offer to you which is not in line with the actual cost of living in an area, then that needs to be brought to their attention. My sis-in-law for example got an entry level position as buyer for a retail company in San Francisco. The salary was $40k (she has a Bachelors degree). They have no kids and live in student housing while my bro finishes up dental school. $40k in SF would put you at the poverty line in many cases, but for them it works. And I don' t think the $40k was negociable. If she was living in some place not so expensive, her salary would have been much lower since all she really brings to the position is a pretty face (she has never had a "real" job in her life). My point is - if the salary is unreasonable for the area, and you can prove it, then explain it and ask for more. And most likely you won' t be the only one bringing that issue up to them. But IMHO it is usually not regociable since the entry level pool of workers is usually a large one. I think that except in a few rare cases they are not. Entry-level positions, by their nature can be done by anyone with the minimum qualifications and a desire to learn. There' s no reason for an employer to beg you to take the job. Once you' re in the job and prove how great you are, you have a chance to move up and build to a position where you might be able to negotiate. I think it depends if the new graduate has any special skills or education that makes them stand-out from the typical entry-level grad. Also, a lot of entry-level type jobs in the biotech industry, especially ones involving lab work, will ask for someone with a Bachelors or a Masters. If you have a Bachelors, you probably have less negociating power for that position than someone with a masters.
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