Never make vague counteroffers, such as “I need more money.” Be prepared to offer a specifi c salary range and a justifi cation for the salary range. This is where your homework will come in handy.

Ensure that the range you specify to the company does not limit your possibilities for negotiation.

For example, if you specify your BATNA (say, $30,000) as the low end of your range, you may not be able to get more than your minimal acceptable amount. This does not mean you should communicate an unrealistically high fi gure, however.

Suggesting unrealistically high fi gures leaves a bad impression with the organization.