Should a new college graduate negotiate salary?

What an achievement! Congratulations!

I love all of the advice given. I think I agree in that your son has nothing to lose. I believe it shows self-confidence and that he's well educated and ready to work (which I think is lacking in the workforce right now). I would be surprised if they didn't offer him the job because he merely asked for a higher salary. If they aren't willing to give it to him right off the bat, I would hope that they keep it in discussion after a probationary period. It seems that your son is ready to move and extremely motivated - bravo to all involved! What an exciting time for him.

What an achievement! Congratulations!

I love all of the advice given. I think I agree in that your son has nothing to lose. I believe it shows self-confidence and that he's well educated and ready to work (which I think is lacking in the workforce right now). I would be surprised if they didn't offer him the job because he merely asked for a higher salary. If they aren't willing to give it to him right off the bat, I would hope that they keep it in discussion after a probationary period. It seems that your son is ready to move and extremely motivated - bravo to all involved! What an exciting time for him.

I agree with all being said as well. In addition, I believe that to negotiate a starting salary shows confidence and willingness to collaborate with leadership. This can look very favourable to potential employers and I’d agree your son would have nothing to lose as the employers seem very happy with their choice. They really can only say no if they disagree to the request and will probably let your son know a timeline that pay will increase on a scale over time. Congratulations and what an exciting time for your son!

Wow, what a great achievement. Congratulations to you and your son. Getting offer before completion of degree is an indication that he must be a smart a boy.
From the word lucrative I derive that he will be joining a company where he will have a good growth opportunities. Based on his academic background it seems that he will most probably be joining an IT related job. He has been offered a job before completion of his program so I assume that he has completed interesting / innovative IT related projects that have an appeal for the employer.
I have personally been involved in hiring process for quite some time. I think it is not a bad idea to negotiate salary for your first job. Important thing is how you put your things on the table.
A good negotiator in my eyes is the one who can spell out his skill set efficiently and relate it to the progress of the company. Once importance of the skill set is established, it becomes easier to negotiate salary.
The most important trait, other than the professional competence, that I always look for in the applicants is the ability to work in a team. So, keeping a balance between assertiveness and humility, to me makes you the best negotiator.
Best of luck to the Young man.

Congratulations to your son on his college graduation! It must be so wonderful for you to see his hard work paying off. Additionally, well done to him for securing his first job even before the ink is dry on his qualification. The IT industry is very competitive and depending on where his interest lies, he may well find himself competing with many other motivated and inspired young people for the positions available.

You mention that the job is lucrative and with a stable company. By that I Assume you mean that there are good benefits and the opportunity for growth and progression within the company. Many organisations have a salary range for a various positions, and this figure is often dependent of both qualification and experience. The fact that he has been offered a salary in the median range is a good indicator that they are impressed by his academic performance and are optimistic that he will prove himself to be a valuable team member as he gains experience.

If he believes that he is worth a higher starting salary I would suggest he propose that his salary is reconsidered after a probationary period of 3 or 6 months. He can mention the sum he would like to be earning and hope that once he proves he is committed and able to meet the job specifications, he will be paid what he believes he is worth. It is important to be be paid a salary that represents your value but at the same time you need to remember that in a competitive market there are often people out there equally as qualified who may be willing to do the job for less in order to gain experience.