Never bring up money unless you are specifically asked... and do your homework before you are asked. Find out what you are realistically worth by talking to recruiters, other managers, your peers, and, by looking in published salary surveys. Trade publications are a good source for surveys.

When you discuss money, always tell them exactly what you are making (including your complete package, i.e.: bonus, stock, 401K, commission, other perks and expenses) mention what you expect to be making after your next review if it is within the next 6 mos. If you are very close to an offer and they ask you how much you are looking for, ask yourself what your bottom line is. Then figure what you ideally want (as in, fair market value). Then tell them what you want ideally, but also let them know that you would be open to "consider" an offer as low as your bottom line. Let them know that money is not really the issue (companies don't like people to take their job just because they

are money-motivated). Learn to take a balanced view of the money and the job's career potential. Look at it this way: if you turn a job down because the final offer is $2000 less than what you wanted, how does that $2000 really impact your life and career versus how the new job would impact your life and career. $2000 comes out to be about $30/week after taxes. Is that $30/week really so important for the next year that you'd be willing to walk away from an excellent opportunity for career advancement and long term income gain?