Salary negotiation tips?

[katmann]

I work part time at a winery. I love the job, and my husband loves staying home with our son. We run a vegetable farm, which we have decided isn't profitable enough for us to live on. We don't want to give it up, however. My winery boss recently offered me full time employment. I had been looking at getting my teaching license so that I could still work on the farm during the summer. If I were to work at the winery, I couldn't farm during the summer (at least not as intensively). That means DH would need help with child care while he runs the farm. And we would probably need to buy another vehicle.

So, the upshot is that I need in the neighborhood of $30K to keep us afloat and still have money to save for retirement. I would settle for as little as $25K, but then we'd only be able to save a small amount. My boss simply said to let him know how much I would need to work there full time, and to get back to him. We're going to meet this weekend. I've never negotiated for a salary before. I get really nervous about these things, and I don't want to sell myself short. Any tips? TIA!

[Ellien C]

I would tell him $35,000 to leave yourself some wiggle room. Preface it with how much you like working at at the winery, how hard you will work and make it not about the money. Let him know that you are sure you can work something out. Than throw out $35,000 and see what he says. If he totally blanches at that, try offering something like a 35 hour work-week or whatever perqs you are looking for. Vacation time? Split schedule? Whatever.

What do you make now for part time work? Are you hourly? I'd take that wage and muliply by 40 hours a week x 50 weeks a year (2 weeks vacation) and see what ball-park you are in.

[AnnaNova]

i agree with the pp, you need to ask for MORE than you are hoping to get, then you are more likely to get what you are hoping for.
talk about how you love working there, and things you have accomplished in the time you have been there, maybe things that have benefited the place.
good luck!

[Sol_y_Paz]

How did it go?