I make a good salary. I very know quite well what a top level salary for my position in my area is because I have a large network of friends doing the same thing and it is a clearly defined role (as most technical jobs are). I would want to put my number out there first because we're going to be negotiating in a very specific range. I still want to hold off until after they've decided they want to hire me (that helps my leverage), but when push comes to shove I want my number out there first.
My friend works in marketing. Definining her salary is much more difficult. Marketing titles can really vary - what is an associate? What is a specialist? What is a product manager? What is a brand manager? There are some brand managers making six figures and some making $25k. In her case, she wants to change jobs because she is horribly underpaid. Almost any salary would be an improvement. Her throwing out a number first could only be detrimental and so she will wait until she hears the number on the table.
As a side note, always compare total compensation not just salary. In the two examples above, we both want to get MBAs. Having our next company pay for the MBA would be worth a lot of money. I would take 10,000+ a year less for a place that will pay for an MBA over one that doesn't. Don't forget about bonus, healthcare, 401k matching amount & vesting, overtime, vacation, flexibility, etc etc etc. And negotiate it all at once.
Definining her salary is much more difficult. Marketing titles can really vary - what is an associate? What is a specialist? What is a product manager? What is a brand manager? There are some brand managers making six figures and some making $25k.
Pricing herself out, or under. He just defined the problem; the discussion on finding out relevant / points of reference for the salary negotiations.
However, in marketing (as some below have noted points of "pain" in relation to "increased X sales %, saved $ with cost savings streamlining X" etc., may be more definable with her previous experience. More information would be helpful though, as the fields fascinating (marketing).
I make a good salary. I very know quite well what a top level salary for my position in my area is because I have a large network of friends doing the same thing and it is a clearly defined role (as most technical jobs are). I would want to put my number out there first because we're going to be negotiating in a very specific range. I still want to hold off until after they've decided they want to hire me (that helps my leverage), but when push comes to shove I want my number out there first.
My friend works in marketing. Definining her salary is much more difficult. Marketing titles can really vary - what is an associate? What is a specialist? What is a product manager? What is a brand manager? There are some brand managers making six figures and some making $25k. In her case, she wants to change jobs because she is horribly underpaid. Almost any salary would be an improvement. Her throwing out a number first could only be detrimental and so she will wait until she hears the number on the table.
As a side note, always compare total compensation not just salary. In the two examples above, we both want to get MBAs. Having our next company pay for the MBA would be worth a lot of money. I would take 10,000+ a year less for a place that will pay for an MBA over one that doesn't. Don't forget about bonus, healthcare, 401k matching amount & vesting, overtime, vacation, flexibility, etc etc etc. And negotiate it all at once.