Girlawhirl's been making offers and filling in her empty desks. But truth be told, she still gets a little nervous when salary negotiations begin, so she feels for the fresh faces she screens and, although she never lets on, there are some common mistakes she sees a lot of those faces make.

If every potential employee had a copy of CareerBuilder.com 's article ‘Six Steps to a Higher Starting Salary,' her job would no doubt be a lot harder. But the person lucky enough to get hired would know they got the right deal for their level of experience and expertise.

CareerBuilder says the first ‘step' when heading into negotiations is to know what you're worth. “Do some research and find out the pay range for the type of job you are seeking. Once you know the rate, take into consideration your skills, education, experience and any unique value you bring to the prospective employer to see where you would rank within that range.”

CareerBuilder also warns: “don't lie about your current earnings.” It says that “Today, companies conduct more rigorous background checks—some even ask to see W-2s! It's not uncommon for potential candidates to be eliminated for being less than straightforward about their salary history.” Girlawhirl knows all about this, having heard from a Super Pal who works in Human Resources about dismissals of people for blatantly lying about their previous earnings.

Girlawhirl has memorized all ‘Six Steps to a Higher Starting Salary,' so she's ready to negotiate with experience the next time a promotion rolls her way.