Don't Wait Until the Last Minute...

A student called this morning. He was frantic. He has an interview tomorrow and he’s not ready. He wanted to schedule a mock interview. We didn’t have any appointment times available. None.

That disappointed student stayed in my head. So, I want to remind you – don’t wait until the last minute. Schedule an appointment with one of our counselors early your final semester to go over your job search plan, as well as your resume, cover letter and reference page. Schedule a mock interview so you have opportunity to practice your interviewing skills before an employer calls to schedule an interview with you.

You leave too much to chance if you wait until the last minute. Employers are in control of whether or not they want to talk with you or even read your resume. But, you can be in control of presenting the best “you” possible. And, that takes some time. The clock is ticking. Don’t wait. 

Are you ready to graduate and start earning big bucks?

Are you ready to graduate and start earning those big bucks? If so, there are probably a few things you want to know regarding salaries for new grads.

The market drives wages--how much demand is there for people in your field? You are competing with other graduating students from many colleges and universities in addition to Wichita State. You may also be competing with experienced people who have lost their positions due to downsizing of their organizations. Salaries also vary greatly by geographic area.

Do your research before you interview. Our website provides links to several sources of information. (http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=CAREERSERVICES2&p=/IndustryAndSalaryInformation/). The information from our Graduating Student Survey is a good place to start.

If an employer asks your salary requirements, you can say “negotiable”. You can also ask what their salary range is for the position. Or, it is appropriate to say “I hope to be paid commensurate with the requirements of the job.”

If you strongly believe you are worth more money than an employer offers you, tell them you are very interested in the position and ask courteously if they are open to negotiation.

Many organizations do not allow very much, if any room for negotiation when they make offers to new graduates. However, sometimes they may be able to offer a sign-on bonus in lieu of a higher salary offer. A sign-on bonus is a lump sum of money the employers pays you when you begin your job. It is an advantage to the employer because it doesn’t increase your base salary, on which your potential raise(s) will be based. And, it may be a fair tradeoff to you because you undoubtedly have expenses to pay as you graduate.

Remember benefits may add on as much as an additional 30% to the employer’s cost for your compensation. Perhaps you can negotiate something other than salary such as, flexible hours, working from home one day per week, vacation time or other paid time off, stock options, insurance benefits, tuition reimbursement for a graduate degree, additional training.

If you attempt to negotiate your salary, it is very important to be prepared to point out why and how you are worth more money than the original offer. It is not enough to say “I need a higher salary.”

Always be respectful when dealing with employers. If you attempt to negotiate salary and are unsuccessful, decide if the opportunity and experience you will get are appealing enough for you to accept the offer proposed. It may just be worth it to start at a lower salary than you might hope for in order to get in with a desirable organization.