You have received an offer of employment. Great! The hard part of the job search has been completed. Don’t let down your guard, though. You have now moved into a very tricky part of the job search which can have an impact for years to come–the compensation negotiation. Not negotiating starting salary, especially early in your career, could cost you an estimated  one million dollars over your working life. That is significant money! Raises on top of a higher base and bonuses based on a percentage of a higher base salary can significantly increase your earnings.

You know you are going to get the question about salary requirements. While it may be an uncomfortable question to be asked, my best advice is to prepare in advance to answer the question.