By Danielle Kost
Democrat and Chronicle

(Sunday, January 27, 2002) -- When deciding whether to take a new job, don't just focus on the salary. Benefits packages, which can be worth thousands of dollars, are also something to consider.

Take the case of John Bateman-Ferry.

He and his family lived in Syracuse, where he ran his own business. His schedule allowed for three weeks' vacation. And he had health coverage for his whole family.

Then Lee Hecht Harrison, a New Jersey outplacement and career counseling company, asked him to open a Rochester office.

The job sounded good. But the company wouldn't cover the costs of relocation, didn't offer full family medical insurance, and gave starting employees only two weeks' vacation.

"Until 1999, employees could set the stage because employers were struggling with recruiting people," said Bateman-Ferry. "But the pendulum has swung the other way. There are so few openings, you have to be prepared to negotiate."

But negotiation is a fine art. And you don't want to push so hard that you lose the job offer.

Start with what's most important, said Emily Neece, director of executive center services for Career Development Services.

Health insurance, the most costly benefit, is a must, she said. After that, carefully review the company's retirement offerings and pension plans. Does it offer a 401(k)? Companies that match employee contributions to a 401(k) or other pension plan tend to offer more value to workers, she said.

Once health insurance and retirement offerings are sorted, consider your individual needs, Neece said. For individuals with dependents, life insurance and long-term disability coverage may be a priority. But for young singles, tuition reimbursement and vacation time might top the list.

Be prepared for a counteroffer. And know how far you're willing to go: Is securing the job the most important, or negotiating the best package?

If you really want to take the job, and the counteroffer isn't to your liking, try to maximize what is available.

Clark Tucker, a principal at William M. Mercer Inc., a benefits consulting company with an office in Rochester, urges employees to bone up on what they can do with less commonly-used benefits.

For example, if a company's health plan isn't comprehensive, an employee can use a flexible spending account, which funnels pre-tax dollars into a separate pool for specific expenses, such as co-payments and child care.

"A vision care plan is nice to have, but you don't have to raise a ruckus if you don't have one," Tucker said. "If you use have a flexible spending account, you basically get a discount on your glasses."

Before starting his negotiations, Bateman-Ferry calculated the cost of living in Rochester, which is 20 percent higher than in Syracuse.

He felt the salary offered didn't reflect that, so he asked for a higher salary and full family medical coverage. In exchange, he wouldn't expect relocation assistance or more than two weeks vacation to start. Lee Hecht Harrison agreed, and Bateman-Ferry took the job.

"I had my ducks in a row," he said.