Walker College Salary Information
Conducting salary research is an important component of the job search process and can be used to evaluate and compare job offers. Not only should a student investigate what other college graduates are earning in a particular profession or region, but the student should also calculate the monthly salary he/she wishes to earn in order to pay expenses and save for the future.
Determine Your Need
- Calculate what you need per month to live the way you wish to live. Determine your monthly expenses, remembering to account for the cost of living differences from where you are now and/or your status as a student.
- Work out your minimum cash requirements for the job.
- Know what your skills and experiences are worth in today's market.
- Determine a high figure within the bounds of reality, but still really high.
- Now you have three figures!
- - A minimum salary that you will accept
- - A realistic midpoint
- - A dream salary
- Use figures from Nos. 2 and 3 for your salary range with a starting point that gives you every possible advantage. You probably do not want to disclose your minimum salary.
Typical salary questions
- What are your salary expectations? How much are you hoping to earn?
- What are your salary requirements? What kind of salary are you worth?
- What do you hope to be earning 2 to 5 years from now?
- Do you think people in your occupation should be paid more?
- We know we can't pay you what you are worth. Tell us how you feel about the beginning salary we are offering? What is an adequate reward for your efforts?
Salary information
- Look at salary surveys from the National Association of Colleges and Employers available at the Career Development Center.
- Review the Walker College of Business Undergraduate Senior Survey.
- Conduct information interviews with people currently doing the kind of work you want to be doing. Ask them for salary ranges reasonable for an entry-level candidate in that line of work.
- Check out professional journals in your field and statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Remember to account for your experience, education AND the cost of living in the area that you wish to relocate.
- Salary.com
- Career Journal's Salary Information
- Salary Negotiation Guidelines
- Salary & Perks
- SalaryExpert.com
- Salaries & Costs of Living
