FWD: Negotiating for salary and enhancers - clarifications

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Thanks to all who have responded so far.

Several folks assumed that I was already doing work for this employer 
and that it would be a conversion to employee status. This is a new 
position entirely. I've never done any work for these folks at all.

I've been doing mostly contract work through various agencies for a 
number of years.

I have not yet received an offer. The interview went very well and I 
think there's a very strong chance I will be offered the position.

The salary range that's been disclosed to me is in the low end of what 
research shows me is the range of salaries for someone with my skills 
and experience. It's also a fair amount less than I've been making as a 
contractor. However, if I'm offered something at the upper end of that 
salary range and can get them to throw in a couple sweeteners, I think I 
could be well satisfied with the position. As others have pointed out, 
salary isn't everything.

I do worry that if I'm offered the position and am overly insistent on 
any of these sweeteners, I could "poison the well" and an offer could be 
retracted.

Someone else assumed that this was a government position. This is a 
private-sector employer and not related to government at all.

Thanks for all your thoughts. Even those responses with mistaken 
assumptions have been valuable.