What are some good negotiating tips when discussing pay during a construction job interview?

As a construction recruiter we have managed many compensation agreements with construction employers and construction job seekers. Sometimes it is better to have your construction recruiter handle the pay negotiations for you, but sometimes you might prefer to manage this yourself.

Here are a few tips if you are negotiating on your own:

The first person who mentions money usually loses in a negotiation. If an employer asks for your salary requirements, ask them if they are offering you the job?

Let the employer know money is not your primary objective in seeking the right job opportunity, and for the right position you are open on compensation. State you believe in good pay for good performance.

If pressed, you might ask "What is the salary range of the position" or provide the construction employer your current or most recent pay figure.
Giving your current pay sets the stage for your expectations without telling them a figure.

Ideally you want to push off the money discussion until after you have sufficiently sold yourself and you are certain the employer wants to hire you. The idea is to get the employer wanting you so they will work harder and accommodating your pay desires.

Once the commitment of an offer from an employer has been made, you are immediately launched into the best bargaining position you can hope for in trying to improve the offer. You are in the driver's seat once the offer is put on the table. In addition to tweaking salary and bonuses,
you should evaluate the overall compensation package which includes employer benefits, reporting relationships, job titles, training, promotion opportunities, severance pay, salary review schedules, and any other perks that you might like to improve upon.