Negotiating Your Salary for Your First Athletic Training Job

As an athletic training student, you’ve likely invested a great deal of time, effort, and resources into your education and training. Now that you’re ready to enter the workforce, it’s important to negotiate your salary effectively to ensure you’re compensated fairly for your skills and expertise. Here are some tips to help you negotiate your salary during your first job interview.

Do your research

Before heading into your interview, make sure you’ve done your research on the typical salary range for athletic trainers in your area. If you’re a NATA member, you can access the most recent salary survey. If not, you can use online resources like Glassdoor or PayScale to get an idea of what other professionals in your field are making. Additionally, you can talk to your professors, mentors, or other industry professionals to get a sense of what to expect. Take the data with you to the meeting, if you’re going in person.

Highlight your unique skills and experience

During your interview, make sure to highlight your unique skills and experience that set you apart from other candidates. This could include any specialized training, certifications, or experience working with specific populations, such as collegiate or professional athletes. By demonstrating your unique value…