Successful negotiation in a job interview should result in a win-win situation for both interviewer and job seeker. The art of negotiation is best carried out after a job offer has been made by the interviewer, and before the job seeker accepts it.

After months of unemployment, many job seekers seem desperate to hear the words "You're hired". Some are just too overjoyed to accept anything as long as they are offered a job. However, accepting an offer on the spot makes you seem too eager and is likely to cause suspicion – that you are cheating yourself on the salary and benefits package. Rejecting a job offer without a second thought will give a bad impression and thus burn your bridges for future career advancement in that company.

Although it is often advisable for job seekers to negotiate for higher salary, better benefits and more favourable perks, you must not see the interviewer as an adversary that needs to be defeated. On the other hand, you must demonstrate your qualifications for the job, justify your expected salary range and show your willingness to reach a mutually agreeable solution. It is widely known that the higher your position, the easier it will be for you to push for the salary and benefits package you desire. If you are not quite happy with the salary offered, seek alternatives by negotiating other benefits and perks such as life and medical insurance, pension, profit sharing, stock options, bonus, annual increment, revision of salary upon promotion, educational reimbursement, car allowance etc.

During a job interview, you are most likely to be given a detailed job description. If you are not, remember to ask for it. Try to inquire more about the job functions and show confidence in what and how you can contribute if you are offered that position. Double check your understanding of the job functions by spelling out thee terms to the interviewer. You may also tactfully inquire about the salary range that is authorised for that particular position, or for a person with your background, experience and skills. This will give you some clues for stating the expected salary range if you have no idea how much you should ask for.

If you are asked to give an expected salary in the very beginning of the interview, do not give a fixed salary figure or the minimum salary requirement that you desire. Answering promptly to such question shows that you are more concerned about what you can get, and not what you can give to the company. Instead, you can respond by saying, "I'd really likely to know more about the position and its responsibilities before we talk about salary."

Postpone all discussion of salary until you receive an offer and let the interviewer be the first to announce a figure. This is to avoid citing a salary lower than you could get, or stating a figure higher than what the employer is willing to pay. Moreover, stating a fixed figure will leave little or no room for negotiation later on.

When you are finally in the position to state a salary range that is somewhat higher that the market rate, be prepared to justify why you deserve it – your skills, experience, contacts, high level of competence, commitment, and so on. If you are asking for an exceptionally high salary or excellent package, remember to provide very good reasons so that the high salary, too, can be justified by your interviewer to his superior or the upper management. In short, be polite but firm, be confident but realistic throughout negotiation.

When you are given time to consider and make a choice, do not just accept any job offer that comes along. Get to know the nature of the job, list the pros and cons of the job, think of the problems that may arise if you are in that position, evaluate the company's culture and environment based on reading and reliable first-hand information. Consider your strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and threats of the position and the company so that you can make a rational decision before accepting a job offer.

Upon accepting the job offer based on agreeable terms and conditions, ask for the offer in writing so that you are guaranteed an offer after you quit your current job. You may want to send a thank-you note to express your gratitude to all interviewers so that the lines of communications are wide open for you in the near future. The success of negotiation during interview is measured by your satisfaction about the offer, which later determines how long you will stay with the job.