Job Search Guide: I deserve higher salary, mate! Negotiate your way in accepting a job offer.

Accepting a job offer can be tricky if you like the job but feel you deserve more on the salary offered. This is especially true when you're decently compensated in your current job. The case would be different if you're just being laid off by your former employer, or freshly graduated from college.

If the salary offered is less than what you're earning now, principally there's little point for you to proceed to discuss further.

But wait before making any response to the offer. The prospective employer rarely ask you to give your decision immediately after hearing the offer. Followings are the steps that you can follow before responding to the offer.

1. Take some time before getting back to them. Ask for 24 to 48 hours turnaround. But make sure you do get back to them within this period. In fact, the faster you do, the better. You make life easier for them and for yourself.

2. Do some due diligence on market salary and collect salary survey data for related position. Ask people around, or you can get it from websites, e.g. salary.com. Also, study the prospective company's position in the market of similar industry. Are they on the leading pack?

3. Get details on the benefits and perks. Is it comparable to your current benefits? Sometimes the salary offered is not high but comes with excellent benefits. Check medical, leave entitlement, insurance, bonus give-out, claims, profit sharing, study loans etc.

4. If you feel you deserve more than the offered salary, tell the employer why you deserve it. Discuss your current achievements and how you would you contribute to them. And go through the detailed job descriptions of the new position to ensure that you know what to expect in your new job.   

5. If you have to turn down the job, do it in a polite and professional manner. Follow up with a thank-you letter for the opportunity presented. You never know, you might be engaged with the same person again in the future.