Job negotiations are intimidating, but they are also important to securing
Job negotiations are intimidating, but they are also important to securing

March 23, 2021

Tips for Grads: Navigating job negotiations

Career Development 
By Lydia Gandy-Fastovich, PhD student
Job negotiations are intimidating, but they are also important to securing salary and benefits that accurately reflect your values and the career market. Understanding that negotiations might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable, Sarah Schaefer from the Career Center in the School of Education shared tips on negotiating job offers that might be helpful in preparing you to negotiate. So, let’s break it down into these three sections: prepare, research, and evaluate.
Prepare: Practice what you want to say, practice how you will phrase your negotiations. A helpful way to practice is in a mock interview. To prepare the content behind the conversation, hold a couple informational interviews with folks in the field. Practice using the company’s language and probe current employees about the work climate and appropriate pay for the position you're applying to.
Research: Check out this Tips for Grads column on “How to boost your value on the job market” to try out some of the tools you can use to look up salaries, benefits, cost of living, and more. This type of research empowers you with knowledge and allows you to negotiate in a manner that is feasible to the company and agreeable to you.
Evaluate: Allow yourself time and space to process a job offer. You don’t have to accept the position on the spot. You’ll want to ensure you’re asking for everything you need in a job and make sure the position is a right fit for you.
This edition of Tips for Grads was adapted from the Navigating Job Negotiations for Graduate Students workshop by Sarah Schaefer, sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Professional Development.

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Professional and Career Development: Explore your career options

Not quite sure what your next chapter has in store? Head to Adult Career and Special Student Services to research career options that might interest you, industries on the rise, training programs, job opportunities and anything else you may need to start planning out your future career.

Wellness: Catch some ZzZ's

Sleep is easier for some of us than others, and if you struggle with falling asleep quickly then you probably already know a few tricks. While you may have tried to turn off electronics, dim the lights, and keep the room quiet, have you ever tried a coffee nap or a 28 hour day? If not, check out these 48 hacks to help you wake up refreshed and ready to go.

Upcoming Virtual Events: 

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Creating an individual development plan (IDP) encourages you to think about what you need to do next - and over the next few years - so that you achieve your goals. We will discuss how to define achievable goals, identify resources, and develop strategies for implementing and sustaining your plans. Participants will begin to create a personalized plan that takes into account career interests and addresses the development of knowledge and skills for professional growth.
How Every Graduate Student Can Promote Social Change 
Wednesday, March 31 | 2 - 3:30 pm
This interactive workshop is based on Pathways of Public Service and Civic Engagement, a comprehensive framework that includes activism, organizing, and community-engaged teaching and research. Laura Livingston, Community-Engaged Scholarship Graduate Specialist for the Morgridge Center, will introduce the framework, explore the synergies and tensions between pathways, and share avenues for UW-Madison graduate students to promote social change in their academic, personal, and professional roles.
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