Job interview tips, need help !!!!!!

TazziRN, RN · Jul 12, 2007

"With my years of experience, I feel that I am worth ------"

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 12, 2007

hi,

Just be cautious. Do not bring up the pay thing until they either offer you a job or they bring it up.

Swtooth

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 12, 2007

In some situations, the base pay is negotiable. In other situations, it is not. In some cases, it is "in-between."

Know whether it is or is not negotiatable -- or to what extent it is negotiable -- before you begin. That's part of the homework you need to do to be successful.

For example ... For some situations, such as a hosptial staff nurse position for a new grad with no experience, there will offen be no possibility of changing the base pay. If the hospital were to pay different nurses with the exact same qualifications at different pay rates for doing the same work, that hospital would anger its nursing staff and kill any morale or trust that existed between the management and the staff.

In some situations, the base pay for a nurse with a given amount of experience is not negotiable -- but they will negotiate a little on how muh experience you are given credit for. In such a situation, it would not pay to try to get them to change their pay scale just for you, but you might be able to negotiate yourself up to the next level of the payscale if they are generous with how much experience they gave you credit for.

In some situations, you might not be able to negotiate the base pay rate, but you might get some financial benefits such as relocation assistance.

Finally, don't underestimate the "value" of things like scheduling guidelines, start dates, scheduled time off, etc. Many times, there is a little more room to negotiate on such things. While these things don't add to your paycheck, they add to the quality of your life.

In short -- know the lay of the land before you start negotiating. Going down the wrong path agressively can hurt your chances of getting anything that you want.