Research Salary
As you start your job search, you want to build your salary expectations based on careful assessment and strong research. This will help you not only when you make it to the negotiation stage, but also as you choose where to apply or reach out.
You need to research two areas: 1) your needs and 2) the job market.
Your Needs
Expenses
You’ll want to figure out the minimum salary you will require to meet your expenses. Think about expenses in these categories:
Rent/Housing
Loans
Food
Insurance
Utilities
Recreation & Discretionary Spending
Transportation
Budget
CPD has created a Budget Spreadsheet that you can use to help you figure out your needs.
Take Home Pay
Use websites like this one to estimate how much take home pay you will have after taxes and things like insurance premiums: https://smartasset.com/taxes/paycheck-calculator
Cost of Living
Research the cost of living in cities where you are planning to look for jobs. Here are a few great resources:
GoinGlobal - City Guides
The Job Market
You want to be sure your expectations are in line with what is current in the job market. Research job titles and salaries. Account for position type, experience level, education, standard wages for the field, company size and location. There are a number of websites that pull this information together for you. Research on more than one site to get the biggest picture.
coroflot.com (profile required)
glassdoor.com (profile required)
levels.fyi (specific to tech an industrial design)
Develop Your Salary Range
Based on your research, develop a salary range that works for your search. The bottom of the range should represent the minimum you need to make expenses, while the middle of the range should be your ideal salary.
RESOURCES: