New Grad: Can I negotiate my salary for my first job?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

I'm a new grad RN currently applying for my first nursing job and could use your advice about salary negotiations.

My previous work experience was in the corporate world and it was standard and expected of job applicants to request a salary within the top quarter of the range common for a particular position, knowing that there would be a few counter offers within the negotiation.

I understand nursing may be different because of individual institutions' HR protocol. Can you advise as to what is acceptable practice if asked about salary requirements on a job application?

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Dear New Grad,

Congratulations on your accomplishment!

Nursing is different from the corporate world in oh-so-many-ways :), one of them being an expectation of salary negotiation. It's not often that a bedside nurse will negotiate salary. Unfortunately, it's a skill many of us nurses lack.

Bedside nursing pay is highly structured

Unlike some professions, entry level pay in nursing is highly structured and not as negotiable as you might wish. From the hospital's point of view, they are going to invest a large sum in you to bring you up to speed. In fact, they will probably ask you to sign a contract promising to stay 2 or 3 years to ensure their investment.

Basically, all new grads have the same qualifications.To ask for more money than the next new grad means you would have to offer them something that sets you apart and adds value. That doesn't mean soft skills- it means experience, which, by definition, you do not yet have.

Even for experienced nurses, bedside nursing pay grids are often fixed and based on years of experience. However, there is definitely some room for negotiation when you have gained experience as you have more leverage.

Negotiating

A new grad could ask for relocation expense reimbursement. You could inquire about benefits, such as tuition reimbursement, and you can ask if they compensate for certifications, or a Bachelor's or higher degree. Some facilities offer sign-on bonuses.

If Asked

The What salary are you looking for?” question is rarely asked in a new grad interview, but an acceptable answer would be I'm looking for an opportunity to grow professionally, and salary is only part of the picture for me. If I am the candidate of choice, and the opportunity is a good fit, then I'm sure an offer in the customary range would be fair.”

If you are faced with an online question on your job application, and you can enter a free text answer, put flexible” or negotiable” (I know, I know, even if you aren't going to negotiate :). If it is a numeric field, put the median number of the salary range for that position in that geographical area. You'll have to do a bit of research, but you can find it.

For some great discussion threads here on site, type in salary negotiation” in the search field . And add your comments about your experience in salary negotiation, we'd love to learn from you.

Keep your negotiating skills, you can use use them in nursing someday! Just not this first time around.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

[sylviii]

Thank you so much for spelling out the mysteries of the salary question, Nurse Beth! It helps to know where I stand as a new grad and what to expect as I'm applying for jobs. It makes sense that salaries would be based on experience.

[Tisme]

Dear New Grad,

You have been offered excellent advice as the starting pay for a new graduate is a fairly fixed number. As Nurse Beth advised, the place for a little bit of negotiation is when you have experience or hold special skills like caring for Berlin heart patients, patients on CVVH, or perhaps a wound care specialist. Unfortunately, new grads though are pretty much offered the same rate. This is true at my organization and I'm fairly certain it holds true at other places of work as well.

The main reason I wanted to reply is that you should keep in mind that all furture raises at your six month evaluation and then yearly evaluations are very negotiable. This is the time to write well and offer a lot of self-praise on your self evaluation. Raises are usually offered in a range like 0% to 5% as an example. So please keep this in mind as it can make quite a difference throughout a thirty year career. You most certainly can max out on your salary and you want to get there as quickly as possible. Compounding interest is helpful over a long career. By the way, the organization where I work offers lump sum incentives at your yearly evaluation if you have reached the maximum. This is in addition to extra hourly pay if you hold a Nursing Certificate.

Best of Luck and congrats on completing school,

Tis me

[sylviii]

Thank you for this great advice, Tis me! I will certainly keep this in mind :)

Dear New Grad,

The main reason I wanted to reply is that you should keep in mind that all furture raises at your six month evaluation and then yearly evaluations are very negotiable. This is the time to write well and offer a lot of self-praise on your self evaluation. Raises are usually offered in a range like 0% to 5% as an example. So please keep this in mind as it can make quite a difference throughout a thirty year career. You most certainly can max out on your salary and you want to get there as quickly as possible. Compounding interest is helpful over a long career. By the way, the organization where I work offers lump sum incentives at your yearly evaluation if you have reached the maximum. This is in addition to extra hourly pay if you hold a Nursing Certificate.