Avoid these 6 common salary negotiation mistakes you make to land the best job offer

When in a job interview, if there's one thing that is discomforting - it's negotiating salary with your employer. How much is the right figure to quote, what is the correct way to put that figure across, how to not reveal a figure even you are being asked for it - these are some questions that if prepared for, can ensure you can land a better offer with the company.

So, here's what you need to do if you want to avoid salary negotiation mistakes that could result in a much lower job offer — or worse — losing the job offer you worked so hard to obtain:

Never, ever make it about your personal situation For starters, there’s nothing worse than a job candidate who tries to justify a salary negotiation due to their personal situation. Employers don’t care that your salary won’t cover your mortgage or student loan payments or even your living expenses. The money you’re making should correlate only with the responsibility you’re taking on in the company. You must keep it about the industry standards, the responsibility level and your qualifications.

Research on the industry standards for similar job responsibilities It’s pretty difficult to negotiate salary if you haven’t researched the job responsibilities involved or what people in those jobs should be paid. Do your homework, and be prepared to speak on industry standards to sound reasonable and logical.

Never reveal how much you're okay with They want to know what number is in your head. The earlier you give up this kind of information, the less room you’ll have for negotiating a better offer when the time arrives. Always try to remain as noncommittal as possible when asked about your salary requirements too early in the interview process.

Don't decline an offer too quickly Many job-seekers reject job offers very quickly when the employer offers a salary much lower than expected, and while in many cases you would be correct in rejecting the offer, it’s still best to ask for time to consider it before rejecting it outright. If the money is simply far below the average, you may have no choice but to reject the offer. However, if the money is good — but just not as good as you would like — take a closer look at the benefits. A big mistake is declining a job offer too quickly without looking at the entire compensation package.

Take your time, it's okay It’s okay to ask for 24 hours to read through a job offer — especially if you need some time to consider what amount you’d like to negotiate for now that a number has been put on the table. Asking for anything more than 4 to 5 days brings a weird vibe into the air, and it’s just not worth it to do that.

Don't take the negotiations too far, you may be thrown out of the race Negotiating is a good thing. However, be cognizant of the fact that there is such a thing as negotiating too much. They make you an offer and it’s low? Fine. It’s perfectly acceptable and even expected that you’d make a counteroffer of some kind. But try to avoid excessive back and forth. Pick the one or two most important aspects of the offer and focus on those. But after a drawn out negotiation concludes, try to avoid bringing up entirely new things when it’s thought to be settled.