Welcome to the jungle, It gets worse here everyday, Ya learn ta live like an animal, In the jungle where we play

- Guns N’ Roses

If you’ve been looking for a job for any length of time you will know exactly what I mean. Of course most of us would not survive for very long in a real jungle with all those venomous snakes, spiders and the like. Although to be honest, not many jungle villagers would last very long on the streets of New York either. But just like the jungle, there times when the wrong move could be life threatening (metaphorically speaking of course).

So imagine, after many long months of looking for a job, interviewing, talking to countless headhunters and getting so close you were sure “this is the one”, you finally get a job offer. Maybe you’ve been out of work for awhile or maybe you still have a job, it does not matter. But when you get that “offer”, you have no clue whether it is a fair offer, a great offer or they are taking advantage of you. Sure, you always have that “number” in your head. You know, the one that would put a big smile on your face (but no one is going to offer you a million dollars). Then there is the “bottom line” number, the one below which you would just walk away. But what is your “real” number? What is the total compensation number you need to get so that you are paid what you are worth? Like most of us, you probably don’t really know what you are worth. So what can you do about it? Read on.

• Know your worth in the job market – This article, posted on Marketplace, provides a few pointers and links to help you do the research. Like anything else on the internet, you need to be diligent in your research and check a few different sources. You are likely to get a range of numbers, but in the end you will get a reasonable feel for what you are worth.

• Getting Paid What You’re Worth in a Challenging Job Market – This article is from cbsalary.com also provides some pointers on getting what you are paid worth. From tips like “be confident” to ways to improve your worth (training), the article provides some good tips. But that is not all! At the top of the page are links for Salary Calculator, Salary Tools and Salary Advice, so take a look at these while you are on the site.

Salary Tools:

• Salary.com – This is a good site to start in your quest for your worth. The top part of the page has the usual job search engine along with featured jobs. Right below this is a salary wizard. Put in your job title (or the title you are interviewing for) and zip code and off you go. Since there tends to be so many names for certain jobs, you may need to try a few to get what you need. Like many sites, there is the “free tool” (I always go for the free stuff) or the “pay for info” tool (this is a personal choice).

• PayScale.com – Another good site to check your worth is PayScale.com. Their tag line of “Get a Free Salary Report based on your job title, location, education, skills and experience” sounds good (again, free is good). Select Job Candidate or Job Seeker (the descriptions are there for you to choose) and you are on your way to your magic number.

• Salary Information from CollegeGrad.com – CollegeGrad.com also offers a salary wizard. Click the link at the start of this paragraph to get to the wizard. Enter your job title (or click “all titles” to the right), enter your zip code or state/metro area and click search.

Good luck in your search!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.