Your resume stood out among the masses and you secured an interview.  You prepared, practiced and sold yourself to the interview team as the ideal candidate for the job.  Now you’ve just received the official job offer, but to your dismay, the salary was significantly lower than you were anticipating. 

Since you probably feel fortunate to even receive an offer in this job market, you may be concerned about ‘rocking the boat’ by requesting a higher compensation package.  However, you want to ensure that you are being fairly compensated for your worth.  Most employers will have no issue with you submitting a counter offer.  Often times, the worst possible thing they will tell you is that their original offer is their best and final offer and they cannot meet your requests.  While it never hurts to ask for more, there is a tactful and appropriate way to do so. 

• Request the salary increase through the appropriate channels.  Consult with your Recruiter or Human Resources point of contact who presented you with the offer about the correct approach for submitting a counter offer.   Remember to always negotiate in a respectable and agreeable way – if you accept the offer, you will be working at this company and you want to ensure you start things off on a positive note.
   
• Provide adequate justification for why you are requesting an increase. Research pay ranges for similar positions within the same geographic region.  Salary.com or the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook are excellent resources for that information.  Reference your degree(s), specialized certifications, niche skill sets or relevant coursework that set you apart from other candidates and would highlight the value you bring to the company.
   
• Think outside the box when making your counter offer requests.  While there may not be money in the Hiring Manager’s budget for an actual salary increase, they may be able to offer a onetime sign-on bonus, relocation monies, stock options, profit sharing, increased vacation or sick days, or work/life balance incentives. 

 Rachael Del Pino