By Natalie Carlisle

Whether you’re in need of a job, searching for a new opportunity or just ready for a change, the decision often comes down to money. No matter how good you are at interviewing or how qualified you are for the position, salary negotiations with an employer can be a ‘make or break’ discussion. This is where working with a recruiter truly benefits you.

There’s a fine line between being opportunity oriented and money motivated. You won’t want to walk that line when your potential employer is deciding whether or not to extend you an offer. Let’s face it, most companies would be thrilled if you loved them so much you were willing to work for free. The best approach to getting the salary you deserve is to let your recruiter do the negotiating for you. The key is knowing how much control to let go of. Here are a few tips for striking the best balance between you, your recruiter, and your future employer:

1)   Think Of Your Recruiter Like Your Agent: Actors, athletes and authors rely extensively on their agents to find opportunities that fit their skillset. Their agent’s goal is to get them as much money as possible without jeopardizing their career. Your recruiter is doing the same thing for you!

2)   Current Salary and Desired Salary: IT recruiters want to work on your behalf, so it benefits you to be honest with them from the beginning. Although it’s natural to hesitate before discussing your salary, this is incredibly beneficial information that your recruiter needs. When you disclose your salary and any additional bonuses you earn, this forms a solid foundation for your recruiter. It’s equally as important to be honest and reasonable about how much you’re looking for in your next position. Your recruiter will take this number and run with it, finding positions that fit what you’re looking for and alerting you when your salary expectations are unreasonable in the current marketplace. Remember, if you’re looking to make more money, make sure you’re able to explain to an employer the value you bring that would warrant a salary increase. This will help your recruiter get you the salary you deserve once negotiations start.

3)   Let your recruiter do the dirty work: Employers expect recruiters to push for more money. When the candidate is doing the pushing it’s a whole new ballgame. You risk appearing money motivated, a quality that turns most employers off. It’s possible they will rescind the offer and extend it to someone who is focused on the opportunity. However an employer’s perspective on your recruiter negotiating for you is that it isn’t coming directly from you. Because of this, the risk of losing an offer is less unlikely.

You don’t want to miss out on the salary you deserve, but you also can’t appear money motivated. Why not have an agent, AKA your IT Recruiter, on your side? As long as you’re honest, stay opportunity oriented and disclose your desired salary to your recruiter, you have a high chance of getting the offer you really want at a job you’ll love.