"I think it's a misnomer to use the word negotiation" to describe discussion over compensation, says Rich Pennock, vice president of Kelly Scientific Resources, a recruiting agency for the life sciences. Most of the companies Pennock recruits for have fairly standardized promotion schemes, and he says it's perfectly reasonable to ask your manager to share those policies with you. "You should definitely be talking to your manager about your expectation and their expectation - then you don't have to get into the situation where there is a negotiation," says Pennock. And if there is, it can still be friendly. "People can disagree without being disagreeable," says Bettina Seidman, a private career counselor whose clients include scientists.
In tough economic times, it's important to remember that "you're the same competent employee that you were before" when negotiating a salary, says Seidman. That includes avoiding self-deprecating comments such as: "I used to ...
