Don't Judge a Position by its Salary

A client of mine just negotiated a compensation package with a new employer that is 45% above his previous compensation. He did this despite the fact that the salary range he was seeking was well over the designated salary range for the position. How was he able to pull this off? He was able to accomplish this by negotiating the position rather than the salary. Throughout his interview he sold his skills and accomplishments to the employer as those of a higher level candidate. By the time compensation became a discussion topic, the hiring manager was sold and had to have my client on her team. Once she realized the value my client could bring to her company, she put together a proposal for senior management recommending a title change and corresponding salary range change. The moral of the story is this. Don't judge a position by its salary. A lot can happen in between the time a position becomes available and the time it is filled. If you believe there is a match and the position presents an excellent opportunity, go for it. Get the hiring manager to fall in love with you first and often the compensation will follow.