Its crunch time. Are you ready for smart salary negotiations?

Lets say youre a finalist. There are a couple other candidates. But an employer has advised you that you are well-qualified for the job opening for which youve been interviewing. Now he/she wants to know what kind of money youre looking for.

What can you do to maximize your salary?

Here are some tips that can help you dramatically move the odds in your favor:

1. Do your homework. Research the salary range by checking out friends in the same business. Also, go to www.monster.com. Click on the link for Career Advice and go to Salary Center

2. Dont let the interview get into money issues prematurely. You dont want to be ruled out because youre perceived as too expensive. Tell the interviewer, Im confident this position pays a competitive salary. And Ill be happy to discuss compensation when a mutual interest has been established.

3. When its time to discuss salary, dont negotiate on the basis of what youve been making. Negotiate on the basis of what the job youre being offered is worth.

4. Try to find out what the company is offering before you mention a number. For example you can say, Thanks for your interest in me. Since you brought up compensation, what is the salary range for this position?

5. If youre required to mention what youre looking for first, always talk about a range . . . 20% on either side of the number youre looking for.

6. Be sure to go beyond base salary in your deliberations. Benefits, bonuses, profit sharing and stock options can significantly enhance the overall value of an offer.

Handling salary negotiations can be stressful. After all, this is where your job search culminates. Preparing yourself in advance and practicing these strategies out loud can put you way ahead of the game.