Salary expectations present a difficult question for job seekers. Gone are the days that you could expect a 10%-20% increase just for changing jobs.

In today's job market that features an over supply of labor, job seekers (especially unemployed candidates) may have to face accepting a lower salary. Other job seekers who want to change careers may find that their current experience & skill level is discounted to lower salary expectations within a new industry or job function.

On the other hand, job seekers with certain high demand skills may be able to expect salary increases - because there are still selected labor shortages in certain markets. Take nursing, for instance - in certain markets, there is such a shortage of nursing talent that a nurse who is willing to change locations might expect a sizable increase (or a comparable salary in an area with a much lower cost of living).

Either way, whatever your own personal circumstances may be, it's important to know (even for your own financial planning purposes) what your market value is.

Why Your Market Value May Have Declined:

We all know that we're in a recession with an over supply of labor, and that's one of the factors that puts downward pressure on salaries. But a labor oversupply affects certain situations more than others. It's important to first see if your situation puts you at a greater risk of a decreased salary for your next job.

There are always special circumstances - your specific skills may be so much in demand for a certain company that you may command above market compensation. However, for the majority of job seekers, some of the factors that may cause your market value to decline include:

1. Unemployment ...
2. Industry losses ...
3. Length of most recent job ...
4. Industry change ...
5. Function change ...
6. Geography ...
7. Age ...

To learn more about what salary you should expect for your next job ( Continued ... )

Article: http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-salary-should-you-expec...
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