When job seeking, it’s not surprising that compensation is a major deciding factor for job seekers. For many candidates, the interview question that matters most is “what salary range are you targeting?” While we’re not denying that money is important to think about, there should be a lot of considerations during the process. Here are some helpful tips to consider:

• What will this opportunity mean for you in the long run? If you’re changing industries or getting into your dream company, an initial salary cut could be totally worth what the long-term potential of the role bring. If there’s growth potential within the first couple of years, you could easily surpass your initial salary expectations.
• How much experience do you have? Taking on a temp assignment (even if it’s at a lower hourly rate than what you were hoping for) could be a great way to gain experience, add to your resume, and make some connections! You never know what a 1-day temp assignment could lead to – trust me, we’ve had many success stories!
• An offer includes more than base salary – take the whole package into account! What benefits are being offered? Insurance coverage? Overtime and bonus potential? Free lunch?
• What about non-financial incentives? Does the company have a great work/life balance and an awesome culture? Do you have the opportunity to work from home or generous vacation time? Being happy at work can be more valuable than money
• Job title does NOT equal salary. The title of “Administrative Assistant” could mean completely something completely different at two different companies. What’s most important to consider is what the salary range is for that job title at that specific company.
• Just because you’re in New York, doesn’t mean your salary will double. One of the common misconceptions is that as soon as you move to NY, you’ll get a huge salary increase since standard of living is so high. Yes, average salaries in NY are higher, but there’s also a lot more competition for every job opening.
• What value can you add to the company? You may have experience that goes above and beyond the job description and is worthy of a higher salary.

While it would be amazing to get the exact offer that you’re hoping for (or more!), realistically that won’t always be the case. Next time you’re at that point in your search, hopefully these tips will help with your decision. Happy job hunting!