Younger workers, or those with only 0-2 years of experience, are 42 percent more likely to be underpaid (Paysa study).

Negotiating salary at the point of a job offer is when you will have the most leverage. Once you take the job, you won’t have as much to bargain with. If you don’t ask, you won’t get it!

We want you to get paid fairly almost as much as you do! At College Recruiter we believe that every student and grad deserves a great career. Every year we help thousands of entry-level  candidates find jobs, so we know a thing or two about how you can stand out to a potential employer. We gathered our insight, and included a lot of advice from our friend and expert career coach Marky Stein, into a full guide for entry-level job seekers.

Read the Entry-Level Job Seeker’s Guide to Salary Negotiation

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Variable pay programs are rising in popularity. John Rubino, president and founder of Rubino Consulting Services (RCS), knows a lot about this trend and how employers are currently succeeding (and failing) at implementing variable pay programs. Rubino will be a speaker at SHRM 2018 conference, presenting “Successful Variable Pay Programs in Action: A Case Study Using a Proven Eight-Step Design Approach.” I connected with Rubino to get his insight into how to ensure success, what mistakes to avoid, and what it has to do with engaging entry-level employees.  (more…)

If your employer is like the vast majority, you try to keep your candidates in the dark about salary range until you’re ready to discuss it.  This is not the best recruiting solution that results in top talent. It is a disservice to both you and the candidate, so we are providing tips for recruiters to prepare proactively for these conversations with candidates. (more…)

Save money now, reap the rewards later. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

We get it. You just graduated from college, and landed that first job. It’s an exciting time.

It’s also expensive.

You have your own apartment now, but rent is a lot higher when not living in that college town, or with fewer roommates to split the costs. Then there is that car payment and car insurance. And you are now paying for health insurance on your own for the first time. Wow, that is expensive, right? Suddenly, that salary you didn’t negotiate suddenly looks a lot smaller after taxes and deductions are taken out.

And let’s not forget those dreaded student loans you are starting to pay back. Those are a real drain, literally and figuratively. Did you borrow money from mom and dad? It might be time to pay them back too. It’s tough. And now that you finally have a job and are making some money, you want to have some fun and spend a little extra, go on a vacation, or splurge on yourself.

Save for retirement? Not now. There’s plenty of time, right? Yes, there is. But trust us, it’s never too soon for recent college grads and Millennials to focus on retirement. That may be the last thing an early-to-mid 20-something is thinking about, especially with so many other expenses.

But…follow the wise advice of professionals.

“With student loan debt and health care costs, many recent college graduates may think they need to defer or limit the amount they save for retirement until they have more money to put towards their retirement savings,” says Joe DeSilva, Senior Vice President/General Manager, ADP Retirement Services.

ADP’s annual study on retirement savings trends shows that employees age 20-24 defer an average of 4.6 percent of their pay into a tax qualified retirement plan, while employees age 55 and older defer an average of 8.5 percent. Yet, the cost of waiting does not add up. Recent graduates should instead start saving as early as possible – even if it is just a small portion of income.

“Being proactive today can reap big rewards tomorrow,” says DeSilva.

Below are four steps recent college graduates can take today to set themselves up for the retirement they want tomorrow:

1. Don’t wait to save until all your college loans are paid off: Save now to take advantage of compound earnings. If you wait even 10 years to start contributing to a retirement plan, you could miss out on many thousands of dollars in retirement savings.

2. Actively plan your retirement: Even if a retirement plan is offered by your employer, only you can take charge of your future financial security. Ask your Human Resources department for help in deciphering your benefit options.

3. Maximize your savings early in your career: Choose to have your employer automatically increase your retirement plan contribution every year.

4. Establish good money management habits: Focus on saving, smart budgeting and planning for emergencies. In other words, live only within your means.

While a recent college graduate isn’t likely to accept or move on from a job based on the retirement plan of the employee, it’s best to find an employer who at least offers a company match. That can help motivate recent college grads to start saving because it’s an easy way to start building your retirement base.

“While they may have many decades before retirement, Millennials can benefit from employers who guide them in making smart retirement savings choices now, at the beginning of their careers,” says DeSilva.

It’s never too early to start saving for retirement, even for recent college grads, entry-level employees and Millennials at all stages of their professional career.

Want to learn more about how to save money for retirement while managing the start of your professional career? Then stay connected to College Recruiter by visiting our blog, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Joe DeSilva, Senior Vice President/General Manager, ADP Retirement Services.

About Joe DeSilva
Joe DeSilva is Senior Vice President and General Manager of ADP’s Retirement Services business unit, which serves a national client base of small, medium and Fortune 500 businesses. He is responsible for setting the strategy and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the business, which includes Sales, Marketing, Product, Development, Service and Operations functions.

The views expressed herein are those of the author, are intended for general information only and are not intended to provide investment, financial, tax or legal advice or a recommendation for any particular situation or plan.  ADP, LLC and its affiliates (ADP) do not endorse or recommend specific investment companies or products, financial advisors or service providers; engage or compensate any financial advisors to provide advice to plans or participants; offer financial, investment, tax or legal advice or management services; or serve in a fiduciary capacity with respect to retirement plans.  Nothing herein is intended to be, nor should be construed as, advice or a recommendation for a particular situation or plan.  Please consult with your own advisors for such advice.

Jimmy Sweeney, President of CareerJimmy

Brenda’s stomach twisted. She’d never negotiated anything in her entire life. But now at age 35 she would face the topic of pay when she returned for a second interview for a job she really wanted as Medical Center Operations Director of a local medical center. She had all the job requirements: a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration, experience in the field, and a diplomatic and clear communication style.

Brenda found some useful tips online to help her over the hump of speaking up for herself and pointing out her credentials, which should put her in a favorable position for the salary she wanted.

You can apply the same, regardless of the job you’re looking for. (more…)

Man gives girl money. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Someone tells you that women don’t earn as much as men do and you get all fumed up ready to place your wrath onto all employers and the paternalistic ways of the society. Agreed, being a woman is difficult and there are many reasons why they may fail to climb up the ladder in their respective careers. It may be because of domestic responsibilities, it may be because of discrimination, or it may be a result of another reason that isn’t in the hands of the working women. However, have you considered why the outcome could be a result of women’s own mistake? (more…)

“Before you start negotiating for your client. I should remind you this job only pays $30,000.” Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Whether you’re a newbie at hunting for the perfect job or a seasoned professional, whether you hate salary negotiations or love them, the truth is it’s important to master salary negotiation strategies. Avoiding traps is essential to landing an offer that you deserve. Here are 10 mistakes you should steer clear of when bargaining salary terms. (more…)

Jim Hopkinson, Salary.com contributing writer

Within the language of every culture exists a sub-language – a collection of words, phrases, acronyms, slang, and jargon unique to that area of life, which must be deciphered in order to truly gain an understanding. The language of negotiation is no different.

Wikipedia has a great list of negotiation terms and tactics, so let’s highlight some of them and frame them in terms of salary negotiation. (more…)

Jim Hopkinson, Salary.com contributing writer

Salary negotiation can be a complicated, confusing, confidence-rattling experience. There are lots of questions to be answered, and in nearly every situation, part of the answer is “it depends” — on number of years in the workplace, what the salary level is, what the job and industry are, and how much leverage you have. (more…)

Ken Sundheim, Chief Executive Officer at KAS Placement Recruiting

After recruiting all levels of job seekers for the past decade, I’ve come to understand that many people lack a true understanding of how to negotiate salary.

The most common mistake we have seen is that interviewees do not know how to accurately gauge if a company is likely to be amenable to accepting a counter offer.

Prior to asking for more money, it’s important to see the hiring process from the point of view of the employer.  The first step in that process is to define what situations will make a hiring company more or less likely to negotiate your salary. (more…)