Negotiating Starting Pay and Benefits

What if you make a job offer, and the person is interested but wants more money than you're offering? When this situation arises, first find out exactly how much the candidate wants. It may turn out that your offer isn't too far from what's wanted, and you may decide that the increased amount isn't a problem.

What if your offer is substantially lower than what the applicant wants? There are different approaches to take, depending on what you want to do.

If this isn't acceptable, explain that you have to keep to your budget and call the next prospect on your list.

If you're uncertain. If you would consider paying the candidate more, but you're on the fence about it, these questions can help you decide if the person is worth the extra money:

Once you've answered the relevant questions, you should be in a better position to decide what to do. Remember, whenever you negotiate anything, that the person who’s willing to walk away from the deal has the stronger bargaining position.