Nothing, to them; but everything to me. I know that they are "running the numbers" on what my position pays, and I know that the results will be more than what I make now, but they don't have to know that.

I took the [internet sources] number, rounded up, added on the travel expense, and the cost of buying a new car for my wife. I took that new number and told the CIO that it would be a "lateral move" for me. In reality it would be, like, a $30k raise.

Then, I'm just going to move out there, anyway. Gas money goes back in my pocket, and commute goes back to normal. That's the plan.

If you do this. Move sooner, rather than later. As kids get older, the roots go deeper into the ground and tearing them out is harder.

It takes Dazza over an hour to get to work each day. He doesn't like it that much, but he gets to read the paper on the train, and he likes the lifestyle where we live. Everything is a tradeoff. Just like starting a new job, which leads me to the point.

My advice is to see what they offer. Maybe they've over-estimated what you're currently earning anyway and the offer might be higher than you expect. That being said, it would be unwise to accept the first offer they make you simply because it's good for you to give the impression that you're going to be worth more to them because they have to pay you more. Just keep in mind that the more you ask for, the more they will ask for. Once again, it's a tradeoff.

With regard to how much you should ask for, I'd recommend always asking for at least 10% more than you expect to be paid which should be about 20% more than you need to be paid. In the end you should end up with an offer somewhere around what you want. Also, don't be afraid to enter into some kind of enterprise bargaining. Perhaps they wont agree to pay you the whole value in cash each week, but maybe shares in the company or better benefits etc. There are lots of things with value that you could consider.

Good luck with it. I hope it goes well.

Oh and don't forget to get a "review" after a predetermined period of time as things can change rapidly in a volatile market. For example, if gas prices jump to $8.00 your commute costs just changed dramatically.

Que cards are your friend. 3x5s that should have the numbers you must keep in focus, but even if they are just hen scratching, they'll give you something you can pretend referring to, while collecting your thoughts. Avoids awkward, embarrassing, dohs.;)

OMG
 

The CIO gave the HR guy the number I told him, and the HR guy wrote up an offer.

I had said I need $X0,000 to $X5,000, and he offered me exactly $X0,000 as a straight salary.

I thought I'd have to haggle to get up that high, but now I'll just be haggling for extra money.

The CIO doesn't get back until Monday...maybe he thinks I'll just take this offer. But I'll wait until Monday and say,

"Okay, now, what about this? What about that?" --all the extra monies I dreamed up.

Congrats!
Sounds like they really want you

Sweet!

I love good news like this.

Awesome! Good for you.

I'm so excited/nervous I almost threw up in the shower, while brushing my teeth.

I was hunched over, salivating for like 15 seconds. I have a nervous stomach.

Click ahead a few times for some great ding dong jokes.

From an older comic:

http://collateraldamage.files.wordpr...07/08/pogo.gif

Man. I'm not going to be able to eat today. My valve!

Flint, you are an inspiration! Verrrrry happy for you and yours!

Dar, I love that cartoon.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[wet blanket]Now, an observation. Don't ask for any extra monies. That ship has sailed. You asked for X and you got X. That's done. I would be pissed at a minimum and question my judgment in selecting you if you came back to me and started talking about more money **after** I gave you what you asked for. Please don't. You risk your credibility, and that is ... unrecoverable in this situation at this early stage.

Maybe, maybe, depending on the narrowness of scope in your conversations with the CIO, there remains some wiggle room in your negotiations to "get extra money". In my opinion, if you talked about salary, only salary... maybe. But look at it from his side... if you went out to buy a car and negotiated the price, and the seller said "OK, I'll sell it to you for ", you'd say, Great, I'll buy it for $X0,000. What would be your reaction if on the following Monday when you came to take delivery the seller said, "Now, as to the "extra money" I want". Deal or no deal? There are a lot of other cars in the ocean, so to speak. This one might be the perfect color, and have the power ashtrays and the led drumstick holders and everything, but...

Or, your budget might have been "$X5,000" in the first place and you must have this car. So, a little extra money isn't a problem.

You have to gauge the state of mind of the CIO. How confident are you with that?

If you're talking about a parking space, or relocation benefits, or extra vacation, or an accelerated review schedule, or other non-cash items, you have a better chance to continue the negotiations. But keep in mind, your only lever is an understanding in the mind of the business deciders that they still want you and they still don't have you.

If you've said "l'll start on Monday" and you want to extend the conversation about your terms, you're doomed. Y'all might talk, but you'll get nothing.

I don't know enough about the details of your conversations to advise you as to what path to take, but I do know enough that this is perilous territory. Don't renege on anything you've agreed to.

I already asked for more money. Because: they don't do 401(k) matching. I asked for that money to be compensated for, in my salary figure.

The HR guy will take this request "to administration" and let me know what they say by Monday .

I'm not really asking for more salary, but I am asking for my salary to offset the losses to my 401(k). Incidentally, this could still fall within the range of X0k to X5k; or possibly be offered as a signing bonus, as 401(k) matching is said to be planned for the future.

I think I was clear that the salary figure is acceptable (it would have to be), but that, considering total compensation, there are some corrections that could be made. If they can't correct them within the benefits, could they offset them within the salary?

That sounds reasonable to me.