Have you recently received an invitation for an interview, for a position at a company you admire even more than where you currently work? The first hiring manager abruptly gets right to the point: “As you know, we’re looking at a lot of prospects. We hope that you feel the same way about us. Will you accept our offer if it is competitive?
Your dream job has been offered to you, but the pay is less than you feel is fair. You enquire about the flexibility of your future employer. She replies, “We don’t usually hire people from your background, and we have a distinct culture here. “This job is more than just a paycheck. Are you stating that you won’t accept it unless the pay is increased?
After three years of contentment at your current job, a recruiter keeps calling and urging that you might make considerably more money elsewhere. You’d want to request a raise because you don’t want to leave but you expect to be paid decently. Budgets are unfortunately tight, and your employer reacts poorly when individuals attempt to take advantage of outside offers. How do you behave?
Each of these scenarios is challenging in its own unique manner and serves as a metaphor for how difficult employment negotiations can be.
Here are 15 guidelines to help you through these conversations.
- Never undervalue the significance of likeability.
It may seem obvious, but it’s essential to remember that only those who like you will fight for you. The likelihood that the opposing party will attempt to improve your offer is decreasing, by any actions, you take during a negotiation, that make you appear unlikable.
The goal here is to manage the natural conflicts that arise during negotiations, such as;
- asking for what you deserve without coming across as ungrateful
- pointing out flaws in the offer without coming across as petty
- being persistent without being obtrusive.
Through most cases, negotiators can avoid these mistakes by considering how others are likely to perceive their approach.
- Help them comprehend why you are deserving of the request you are making.
Remember you will not always be liked just because you’re good at what you do, or you’re good-looking. Additionally, employers must think you merit the deal you seek. Never let your proposal stand on its own; always share the background information. Don’t just express what you want, an increase without giving genuine reasons. It might not be a good idea to make a demand if you have no justification for it. Remember the intrinsic conflict between being likable and demonstrating why you deserve more: If you haven’t considered how best to convey your point, merely stating that you are particularly valuable can come across as arrogant.
- Don’t play hard to get.
If they believe you’ll ultimately reject their offer, they won’t invest the political or social capital necessary to win your approval, for a stronger or better offer. Who would want to act as another business’s mule? Make it known that you’re serious about working for this company, if you want to negotiate a better offer. By telling prospective employers you are being sought after by other companies, can sometimes make people want you. But the stronger you play that hand, the more likely prospective employers will think it pointless pursuing you. You should be discreet listing all your options as leverage, by explaining why—or under what circumstances—you would be willing to forego them and accept an offer.
- Observe the one sitting across the table.
People bargain, not businesses. To influence the person seated across from you, you must first comprehend her. What personal interests and issues does she have? Bargaining with a potential boss, for instance, is significantly different than negotiating with an HR representative. You might be able to get away with asking the latter repeatedly about the offer’s specifics, but you don’t want to irritate a potential manager with what appears like mundane queries. On the other hand, although the HR might oversee recruiting 10 people and be hesitant to deviate from the norm, the boss on the other, who would gain more directly from your employment with the company, might advocate for you by making a specific request.
- Know your limitations.
Maybe you are liked. Prospective employees might genuinely believe you are deserving of everything yet decide not to give you the job. Why? because regardless of negotiations, their rigid restrictions cannot be loosened, like pay caps. It’s your responsibility to determine where they are flexible and where they are not. A huge corporation, for instance, probably cannot offer you a better wage than everyone else, if it is simultaneously hiring 20 people who are identical to you. However, it may be flexible with regard to signing bonuses, vacation days, and start dates. On the other hand, if you’re negotiating with a smaller company that has never hired a person in your position, there might be room to change other things than the first pay offer or job title. The likelihood that you can provide solutions that address the issues on both sides, increases with your understanding of the limits.
- Be always ready for tough questions.
Many job hopefuls have been confronted with challenging inquiries they had hoped to avoid: Do you have any other offers? Will you accept our offer if it comes tomorrow? Are we your preferred option? If you’re not ready, you risk saying something awkwardly evasive or, worse yet, untrue. I suggest never telling a lie during a negotiation. Even if it doesn’t, it’s still unethical because it frequently works against you. The other danger is that you could lose leverage if you try to please too many people when presented with a difficult question. The point being, you must be ready for inquiries and situations that could put you on the defensive, make you feel uneasy, or reveal your vulnerabilities. Answering honestly while avoiding an ugly candidate’s appearance and giving up too much negotiating power, are your goals. You probably won’t compromise one of those goals if you have already considered how to respond to tricky queries.
- Rather than concentrating on the question itself, pay attention to the questioner’s intentions.
If, despite your preparation, someone approaches you from a direction you weren’t anticipating, keep in mind this straightforward principle: It’s not the question that matters, it’s the questioner’s intent. Although the enquiry is frequently difficult, the asker usually has good intentions. If a potential employer wants to know if you would accept a job offer the very next day, they might just want to gauge your level of enthusiasm for the position, rather than put you in a difficult position. It’s possible that an enquiry regarding your having other offers isn’t meant to reveal your unfavorable options, but rather to find out what kind of job search you’re making and what the possibilities of hiring you are like. Never assume the worst just because the question makes you feel awkward. Instead, provide an answer that speaks to your understanding of the question’s intent or, seek clarity on the issue the interviewer is attempting to address. Both of you will benefit if you have an honest dialogue with him/her about what he wants and demonstrate a desire to assist him in resolving his problem.
- Think of the bigger picture.
Unfortunately, negotiating a job offer and negotiating a pay are often used interchangeably. However, you can negotiate other aspects of the job that may even be easier than income, which will account for a large portion of your job happiness. Keep your focus off money. Consider the worth of the full package, including the duties, setting, travel, adaptability of work hours, chances for advancement, benefits, encouragement of further education, etc. Consider not only how, but also when, you’re willing to be rewarded. You might choose to take a path that pays less richly now but will position you better in the future.
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