How can I negotiate a higher wage?

[Atealtha]

I have been working part-time at a communications company doing graphics work. Come May I graduate college and get my BA in Graphic Design. My boss wants me to work full-time then, and I would like to a higher salary. Currently I get paid an intern's wage (less than when I was freelancing) and have been working for a month now. It will be about two more months until I go full time, but we both want to talk details now.

I can offer more technical expertise for the computer equipment (although I do not want to become IT), have proven that my skills come through, and have a broad range of skills that are very useful for the company's clients as well as internal operations.

I never negotiated before, and I have a fairly good range of pay that I want to shoot for: it is roughly 2.5 times my current wage. This includes for both graphic design and web programming (with databases and all that stuff). She isn't 100% pleased with my graphic work. But I have impressed the company's current big name client with a website.

Benefits, stock options, and others are most likely unavailable, although I will ask. This is a small company with a budget.

One last thing: I am willing to begin looking for another job to start fulltime once I graduate. I want to let her know but wonder how this will work in negotiation.

Thanks for your help.

[DaMuo]

I would work this another way around. As you are a new graduate you should explore your range of options. I would look for a job without telling your boss (or do so if you wish). As you are an intern, you should keep in mind that you are an intern and should not be held to the same standards of a full time employee.

Look for a job with everything you want, and see if your current company wants to keep you and make you an comparable offer. It is important for new grads to get 1) more experience and 2) make sure you earn your going rate. It sets the pace of your career.

I'd get a couple job interviews down first. You are an intern so you should not feel bad about looking for jobs or openly asking what your salary will be once you graduate and no longer an "intern" but seeking "full time employment" -- it is essential you keep these two job functions distinct and separate.