7 - USE UNCERTAINTY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. The more information you convey to a potential employer about your bottom line, more likely it will limit what you get. Before making an offer, a company typically tries to determine what it will take for you to accept position. With that information, prospective employer will be able to determine minimum package it needs to offer. While they may not offer you as little as they can get away with, if you've divulged too much information, they likely wont offer you as much as they might have otherwise. By not disclosing exactly what your current compensation is or exactly what it would take to get you to leave your job, you'll force a potential employer to make it's best offer.

8 - BE CREATIVE. Consider value of total package. Look for different ways to achieve your objectives. Be willing to make tradeoffs to increase total value of deal. If you're creative, you can package what you want in ways that will be acceptable to company. You'll also be able to find creative "trades" that allow you to withdraw requests that might be problematic to company in return for improvements in areas where company has more flexibility. That way, you can maximize value of package you negotiate.

9 - FOCUS ON YOUR GOALS, NOT WINNING. Too often in negotiations, act of winning becomes more important than achieving your goals. And it's also important not to make your future boss feel as if he's lost in negotiations. You'll have gained little by negotiating a good deal if you alienate your future boss in process.

10 - KNOW WHEN TO QUIT BARGAINING. The one sure way to lose everything you've obtained is to be greedy. There comes a point in every negotiation when you've achieved everything you could have reasonably expected to gain. While most companies will want to treat you fairly and make you happy, few companies want a to hire a prima donna. Being perceived as greedy or unreasonable may cause deal to fall apart. Even if it doesn't, you'll have done immeasurable harm to your career. This brings us to 11th and most important commandment:

11 - NEVER FORGET THAT EMPLOYMENT IS AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP. Job negotiations are starting point for your career with a company. Get too little and you're disadvantaged throughout your career there; push too hard and you can sour relationship before it begins.

Understanding these principles will allow you to effectively negotiate terms of your new job. Then do your job well and continually seek out new challenges. As you take on added responsibilities and learn new skills, there will be opportunities to negotiate further improvements.

Sincerely, Nathan Newberger, Managing Editor http://www.WorkTree.com "Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"

What's first thing that comes to mind? What about it is appealing to you? What other things come to mind? How do feel thinking about it?

If you feel good, then you are on right track!

Now if you are like most, you'll immediately start thinking of all reasons why this will never happen. What if you put all those reasons aside and just thought more about it? Try it...

What would be one thing you could do to explore how this idea might work? I bet you do a lot of projects at your current job, what would be your next steps if you were to make turning this idea into reality a project?

This may seem simple, but it is first step to shift your attention from discomfort to possibility.

Give it a try, you really have nothing to lose and could possibly get on your way to happily answering, "So, what do you do for work?"