New Survey Reveals Nearly Half of Job Seekers Do Not Negotiate First Offers

If you're looking for a job (and hey, even if you're not), here's important information to keep on the brain. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, 49 percent of people searching for jobs do not negotiate their offers at first. They simply accept the first offer communicated to them. But wait, it gets better. They don't negotiate and yet 45 percent of employers are actually willing to negotiate! Think about all of the money left on the table. Hmmmph. The survey included more than 2,000 hiring managers and human resources professionals on a national basis and broke down data even further. Age is apparently a factor. With more experience typically comes more negotiation. That is, 55 percent of employees over the age of 35 negotiate their first offer. About 45 percent of employees between 18 and 34 years-old negotiated, too but not as much as their more experienced colleagues. So, if you're in the latter demographic, just be cognizant that employers expect you to negotiate. In addition, the survey revealed men negotiated that first offer more than women with numbers coming in at 54 percent compared to 49 percent, respectively. As per the press release, Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder explained, “Many employers expect a salary negotiation and build that into their initial offer. So when job seekers take the first number given to them they are oftentimes undervaluing their market worth." Keep in mind every hiring manager won't be able to raise the offer but it's always a good idea to negotiate. She added, "Especially if you have experience and possess in-demand technical skills."

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New Survey Reveals Nearly Half of Job Seekers Do Not Negotiate First Offers

Vicki Salemi

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Vicki Salemi