soverby

^ agree with above, you are at too early of a stage to be thinking about salary negotiations.

But if you are looking to make a switch b/c you feel underpaid, be prepared to support the reasons that your new salary level should be X% above what you are currently making.

soverby

the employer should be willing to pay "market". they've done research to find out what that # is and so should you -- glassdoor and salary.com are pretty good. also if you know people doing similar work, try to get their range. They are going to bid at the low end of the range and you should ask at the high end. where you end up depends on who wants whom more. if this is your dream job probably a good idea to not push too hard.

my advice is to be forthright in whatever market research you come up with. Lay out what you think is market using market data and have an open discussion about why your number should be higher or lower. always be cordial. be rational, not emotional.