More than six in 10 (63 percent) advertising and marketing executives interviewed said they are at least somewhat willing to negotiate compensation when extending a job offer to a top candidate versus 28 percent of respondents who are not, according to a new survey by The Creative Group.
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Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "When extending a job offer to a top candidate, how willing are you to negotiate compensation?" Their responses were:
Very willing—23%
Somewhat willing—40%
Not very willing—14%
Not at all willing—14%
Don't know/no answer—9%
View the research highlights.
"Jobseekers often have more leverage than they realize when negotiating a starting salary," said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service for marketing, advertising, and public relations professionals. "Businesses that have gone through the process of selecting a top candidate are motivated to hire that person, even if they have to sweeten the deal."
Farrugia warned, however, that salary negotiation isn't without its perils. "These conversations are delicate and can easily go off track," she said. "Applicants who thoroughly prepare are more likely to have positive outcomes."
The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 500 telephone interviews with approximately 375 marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.