your advantage. The career experts at Bayt.com, and Arab News careers site , have developed a simple code of salary negotiation that is easy to follow: 1. DO your homework: Many people are at a loss of words when they are asked about their salary expectations. You need to go into that interview armed with enough research to know what the market rate is for your prospective position. You can do that by by looking out for periodic research publications in the Middle East on regional salaries, Finally, get in touch with recruiters and people in your network of friends and colleagues who would be willing to share salary information with you. When you have the salary information you need, tweak it according to your own experience and qualifications and come up with a narrower range that you can confidently pitch to your potential employer. 2. DON’T say yes too soon: Saying yes to the offer put forward right away is not a good idea. If you are a fresh graduate, or if you’re relocating to the Middle East, then make sure you take the time to weigh the salary offered against your actual worth. Do not say yes unless you feel that the offer is maps to the value you can provide, and not speaking up during the initial stages of discussion might make you feel underpaid later. 3. DO consider other benefits: To look at salary alone and ignore other benefits is also a common error while negotiating salaries. Non-monetary benefits should be considered like insurance coverage, the option to have flexible working hours, maternity and paternity leaves, paid vacation days, etc. These factors have monetary value attached to them and should be grossed up with the salary figure to measure the value of your package. 4. DON’T make unreasonable comparisons: Salaries may differ from one industry to another. Comparisons should be avoided in such cases and salary negotiations should be based on research conducted for the particular industry in question. For example, comparing the salary of an administrative assistant in a school to that in a telecom company would be an unreasonable thing to do. 5. DO wait for the right time to bring up the salary topic: Talking about the salary too early in an interview is not advisable. Market yourself as a worthy candidate, and if the interviewer is genuinely interested in hiring you, they will bring up the topic themselves at a later stage of the interview. Take the cue from there and quote your range. If you have previous work experience, a good rule of thumb is to ask for a 20% increment over your last salary figure as the minimum expected salary. 6. DON’T give a specific salary figure: Always try to give a range, as it gives more room for negotiation. If the employer is offering something below your minimum, negotiate on the benefits. To get more advices and tips regarding career development, visit and register in Arab News Career page to read more related articles and get usuful tips.