Are you getting more or less vacation time than at your previous job?

Q: Many people value their vacation time almost as much as their salary. But some corporate policies don't take that into account, and a change of employer involves a loss of vacation time. The last time you changed jobs, did you get more, less or the same vacation time as your previous job?

Nick's reply: I believe that time off is an issue that will become more controversial because our workforce is aging. Older workers accustomed to more vacation won't give it up.

For decades, companies viewed vacation time as a benefit, but now it's a component of compensation. People value their vacation time so much that they'll often forgo salary, professional growth and other benefits to get more time off. Vacation time has come to be regarded as a kind of "golden handcuffs." When people's seniority earns them significant amounts of annual vacation, they're understandably loath to change employers for fear of losing it.

So why don't companies use vacation as a negotiable part of a job offer? I think it's because HR departments still consider vacation a benefit that is doled out based on seniority at one company rather than on merit (like raises). In last week's column, I suggested that job candidates can do something about this. My advice to anyone is to attempt to negotiate vacation time.

How can you negotiate more vacation into a job offer? If a company is policy-bound, you might not be able to. But if a company is determined to hire you, I think you have leeway. Start by explaining that you consider vacation time part of your compensation. "My current employer gives me four weeks because I've proved my value to the company. Just as my salary has gone up, so has my time off. I'd never change jobs for less money; nor would I take less vacation time. Just as I'm worth a certain salary, I'm worth four weeks' vacation. It's not a function of my seniority in any company, but a function of my seniority in my field."

This approach tackles the issue on two fronts. It forces a company to deal with your individual value, but it also turns the seniority issue on its ear by redefining it. If a company really wants your skills, it must be willing to pay for them. If it truly respects seniority, then it ought to respect the measure of vacation time beyond its own walls.

Except with some very progressive employers, this is still an uphill negotiation. But it's a worthwhile effort, because more people are demanding their vacation time. Call me a wishful thinker, but I believe that if more people make it an issue at hiring time, employers will start to regard vacation as a component of compensation that should be negotiated with every job offer.

If vacation time is important but not crucial to you, there's a simple way to attempt to negotiate it without risk. Accept the job offer first, and then request vacation equal to what you got at your old job. "Your offer is a good one. Thank you. There is one thing I'd like to ask you for, but I want to demonstrate my good faith first. I want the job, and I accept your offer as it stands. But I'd like to respectfully request that you match my old vacation time. To me, vacation time is a part of compensation. After X years in this business, I believe I've earned it." You have nothing to lose, and time to gain.

Copyright 2008. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.