It's that time of year again when college grads hit the pavement running trying to land a job. One thing they don't really teach in college is role playing of salary negotiation. These days it's more than just your paycheck that matters. There is upside to benefits, stock options and other employee perks. 

In this economy it's tough to get past the phone screen these days, but if you should find yourself lucky enough to get to the "offer" stage, then you'll need to know how to effectively negotiate your employee package.

When it comes to salary, many times the HR person or sometimes the hiring manager will ask you,"What type of salary (range) are you looking for?" Tip #1: the first person to offer a number is always a loser in this situation. Never be the first one to throw out a number if you can help it. Instead of saying, "I'd rather not say" or "what did you have in mind?" offer up something like, "I expect that I would get paid what the industry standard is for this job given my experience."

Tip #2: Do your homework. You should know what the industry salary range is for the job you are applying. Try Google, Salary.com or Paycheck.com for ranges. If you are prepared when you walk in there, then you have no one to blame but yourself if you don't get the salary that you want. 

Tip #3: Consider the cost of benefits, viable stock options/restricted stock and employee perks that the employer is offering. If you pay for day care and they offer a day care, then that's a huge perk for you. If the company has a gym or provides employee meals, that's a savings to you. Many employers feel that these really add to the overall compensation package so if the salary you wanted is a little lower than desired, consider what the upside might be should you take stock options or restricted stock instead of cash or utilize the perk of their gym or day care.