<p>As many of you know, I am (or was) a non traditional student. I had an internship this last semester and the CPA firm I worked for have asked me to stay on permanently now that I have graduated. But they asked me what I “want” and I honestly have no clue whatsoever what to ask for. </p>
<p>Some background, I have an accounting degree (since yesterday), a 4.0 GPA and was summa cum laude. I do have about 10 years accounting experience but from a long time ago and corporate not public. I’ve looked online trying to find reasonable salaries, but the ranges are so wide and there are none for the small town I live in. The closest is for a town about 40 miles away. I don’t want to undersell myself, but don’t want to look stupid. </p>
<p>Any tips? Help!!</p>
<p>Talk to professors and/or career center at your school for guidance.
Also the alumni association may have done a recent salary survey.</p>
<p>And do add some buffer to account for your maturity, stability and experience.</p>
<p>Congrats and good luck!</p>
<p>Oh, that’s a good idea. I never thought of talking to career services! And the professor who put my name forward for the internship might be a good source (I never even had to go through the job hunting process - they contacted me after she recommended me - how perfect is that?).</p>
<p>Another thing is, they offer medical that they pay for. I have retiree medical through my husband’s old job ad don’t plan to give that up as I’m not sure I can get it back once I do. That seems like something I can use in negotiations right? I am so out of touch with all this!!</p>
<p>Congratulations Swimcatsmom! I have no idea what to tell you but the suggestion to speak to career services is a good one. When you discuss this with your employer, mention that you really do not need their health insurance and see what they say. </p>
<p>But most of all…congratulations!!</p>
<p>Absolutely use the medical insurance in negotiations . . . the money they save on that can be added to your salary (or retirement contribution or whatever).</p>
<p>And I absolutely agree with the above recommendation that your salary demand take into account your “maturity, stability and experience.” Those are very valuable assets!!!</p>
<p>And congratulations!</p>
<p>Swimcatsmom - summa cum laude! That is amazing!</p>
<p>In addition to the suggestions above, which are great, you can also get an idea by looking at jobs on-line that are in towns similar to your own. It doesn’t have to be exactly your town. As long as the general geographic area is the same, e.g., Pacific NW, and the town is comparable in size to yours and the distance to the nearest big city is comparable, the salaries can be similar. The size of the company is important, as a small CPA firm will have different ranges than a large one.</p>
<p>You definitely don’t want to undersell yourself, and if you are too high, they’ll just tell you, well, we can offer you X.</p>
<p>Great idea as far as getting more $ in lieu of health care. If they don’t give anything, you might consider whether it makes sense to take their health care. In our case, H and I have always taken the employer dental care. With two plans, the secondary insurance has almost always picked up what the primary didn’t. Helpful when there are several in the household who have inherited MIL/FIL’s bad teeth genes. (Both had false teeth before they turned 30.)</p>
<p>30 years ago, I was involved in a big 8 public accounting company payroll stats for billing and other analysis. It could be different now, but I don’t think age is one of the measurement of pay scale. I am not sure if you were hired as the entry level accountant or otherwise. Each level accountant has its pay scale and it varies a little within that level. I do not think the big 4 today will pay differently.</p>
<p>However, small public firms may have a different way to measure pay scale. Since you’ve been working there for a while, perhaps you have a sense of some others pay scale. Consider you lucky they ask your desired salary, in most cases CPA firms will give you an number and it is not very flexible.</p>
<p>First of all- CONGRATULATIONS on your degree!</p>
<p>When you give a salary expectation aim a bit higher than you expect to get after you research salaries. The company can come back with a lower amount and you both will be happy- they will be happy they don’t have to pay you as much and you will be happy you got a bit more than you could have. </p>
<p>The local paper had a recent article about this subject. A person’s starting salary will affect his/her income decades later. You start at a given salary which then becomes the basis for raises and your salary when switching jobs. The higher you negotiate to begin with the higher your scale is for the future. Small increases or percentages really add up in time. It also tells a company something when you don’t just accept their lower offer- telling them you are worth more and assertive enough to ask for it says something about your abilities.</p>
<p>Two years ago son was getting his first job. In the telephone offer they asked him how much he wanted- he was home just after graduation. He had no idea what to ask for so he asked what they were offering. They made him an offer better than he expected- industry standard. He was excited when he got off the phone. Now, in changing jobs, he asked for X++ and accepted X+ his current salary. You won’t get it unless you ask for it. Son stated he maybe should have not accepted their first counter offer so readily but you don’t want to be just about the money. It isn’t like buying/selling a house. He may find out he could have gotten more if/when he gets there. But our family is more academic than business shrewd…</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice and the congratulations. It’s all a bit dreamlike in a way. I was worried I’d find it hard to find a job at my age, never expected to just fall into one like this. The accounting professor who gave them my name for the internship is almost more excited than I am. I went by her office to tell her and she gave me a big hug.</p>
<p>I followed the suggestion about contacting career services at my school. They were extremely helpful. They gave me a range of what accounting grads from our school normally start at plus gave me a few other tips about how to approach the discussion. really useful. Funnily enough, the mid point of the range they quoted is almost exactly the number I had been thinking of in the first place. But having their input makes me feel a lot more comfortable about it. Plus, as the lady that emailed me said, I can quote the numbers I have researched in the discussion.</p>
<p>Not sure when the “big talk” is going to happen. I suggested, and they agreed, that I stay hourly for a few weeks. My husband has his one year check up at M D Anderson and that is a full week of tests, plus I had already planned a trip to England for my Mum’s 90th birthday and to spend some time with my brother (I was not expecting to be employed so quickly). So the full time start date will be after that.</p>
<p>Sounds terrific. I’ll be cheering for you from the wings here!</p>
<p>Awesome, SCM.
Best wishes for good news at MD Anderson, and congrats to Mum’s milestone birthday.</p>