[hippich]

on contraire, i would recommend always negotiate price you want and not settle if "you are going to work for this company anyway". Reason is simple - every year what you earn gives you 3% less purchasing power on average. If you are not getting at least the same increase in income - you are losing. Unfortunately, not all companies consider annual salary increases and ones which do - do it on their own discretion.

So you have to have something in back pocket when it is time to leave this job and look for new opportunity and use you current wage as a leverage to get more. As such, you should make sure you are compensated fairly. It is just like bonus vs. early salary increase. Higher base salary means higher base salary for the next job (and for current one higher bonus, higher annual increase, etc). Do not settle for bonuses/stocks/"unlimited" vacation and any other similar tricks.