| The good news is, negotiation doesn't have to be a | | | | yourself -- until you feel ready. Getting the employer |
| win/lose game in which the best player wins. In fact, | | | | to want you is crucial to maintaining the upper hand in |
| when it comes to negotiating the terms for your | | | | your negotiating. |
| career moves, that's exactly the outcome you want | | | | If the question of money arises too soon, tell the |
| to avoid. If you win and your employer loses, you | | | | interviewer you need to learn more about the |
| lose in the long run. Inevitably, your employer will | | | | company and the job opportunity before discussing |
| start looking for someone who can perform your | | | | financial needs. If the employer still persists, ask if |
| function at less extortionate rates. If you lose and | | | | your are being offered the job. If pressed to give a |
| your employer wins, well, you lose. | | | | salary figure, speak in terms of the job's worth and |
| The sooner you learn to negotiate, the sooner you'll | | | | your ability to do it well. Let your interviewer know |
| start reaping the rewards. Unfair as it may seem, | | | | that, while money is not your main objective, you |
| employers tend to prefer those candidates who | | | | believe in excellent compensation for excellent |
| already earn a greater income. While these | | | | performance. |
| candidates cost more to employ, their higher | | | | A good answer to the salary question is to quote |
| incoming salaries are assumed to reflect greater | | | | another offer you've been made, provided it is |
| competence, initiative, and achievement. So, it's triply | | | | attractive. You may announce the salary you would |
| in your interest to pursue income increases at every | | | | expect or answer that it depends on the total |
| legitimate opportunity. One, you immediately increase | | | | compensation package with fringe benefits and other |
| your income each time you succeed. Two, you make | | | | perks. |
| yourself more desirable as a candidate for your next | | | | You might also respond by saying that salary is the |
| position. Three, you increase your future income; the | | | | third item on your priority list. Number one is making |
| higher your salary/benefit package going into a new | | | | sure you can work well with the employer, and |
| job, the better the offer a prospective employee | | | | number two is being the right candidate for the job. |
| must make to attract you. Whether you're looking | | | | You also invite the company to offer you what it |
| for a raise and promotion within your current | | | | feels you are worth based on your skills and |
| company, or looking for greener pastures, the | | | | accomplishments. Your weakest response is to |
| following strategies apply. | | | | divulge your present earnings. Or worse, to say, "I'm |
| 1. Prepare before you proceed | | | | willing to accept a comparable offer with good |
| "I'm so broke I can't even pay attention." | | | | earning potential." |
| Negotiating a significant jump in income requires | | | | This will typically net you to a zero-to-ten percent |
| research on the negotiator, firm, and industry. You | | | | increase, with an accompanying song and dance |
| must be familiar with the company's wage limits and | | | | about the many intangible benefits of your new |
| fringe benefit options for the job in question, and | | | | position. If you must quote your current salary, tell |
| with the style, thinking, and perspective of the | | | | the employer that you will be getting a salary review, |
| person with whom you will be negotiating. Explore | | | | and you expect at least a 10% increase. If this isn't |
| the types of compensation programs available in the | | | | true, make it true by having such a discussion with |
| industry and the industry-wide income levels typical | | | | your current employer. |
| for persons with your background and experience. | | | | If you're ready to discuss money and your |
| Try to determine how much authority the | | | | negotiator still hasn't brought it up, you can move her |
| interviewer will have to discuss salary and fringe | | | | in that direction if the mood is highly positive and you |
| benefits. | | | | feel that she really wants you for the job. You might |
| Contact industry associations, executive recruiters, | | | | say, for example: "I feel very comfortable with you, |
| and competitive companies for salary ranges and | | | | the position available, and the quality of this |
| fringe benefit packages. Research library references | | | | corporation. Now where do we go from here?" |
| including the Occupational Outlook Handbook and the | | | | Remember, don't be impatient! Your ultimate goal is |
| American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries, and other | | | | to get the interviewer to make the best possible |
| reference works. Also independent research | | | | offer first. This offer is simply the opening gambit as |
| companies offer industry data on average salary | | | | you begin further negotiations in earnest. |
| levels for specific positions. | | | | 7. Seek the employer's position before stating your |
| Before your negotiation, set specific income and | | | | own |
| benefit goals, develop acceptable trade-offs among | | | | Just as you should allow the employer to mention |
| these elements, and identify areas in which you will | | | | money first, you should also encourage the employer |
| be willing to make concessions. Keep in mind that it's | | | | to mention his or her other terms -- relocation, |
| not how much you're worth, but how much they | | | | starting date, car allowance, salary limits, job title, and |
| think you're worth that counts. Also, examine | | | | the like -- before revealing yours. Probe carefully to |
| alternate routes to the compensation you desire. | | | | see what he or she really wants. Size up the |
| These may include changing employers, changing | | | | importance of any points of disagreement. You need |
| positions within your present company, or becoming | | | | to gain an understanding of the employer's position |
| self-employed. The less desperate you feel about | | | | to plan your proper gain and to plan your proper |
| attaining your desired income through one particular | | | | strategy. Don't let the negotiator pressure you into |
| course of action, the more vigorously you can | | | | accepting an offer until you feel satisfied you're fully |
| negotiate to get it. | | | | informed. |
| Remember that you are negotiating a total | | | | 8. Keep good records of your achievements |
| compensation package. Weigh pure dollars against all | | | | Throughout your career you should develop the habit |
| benefits -- perks, automobile allowances, guaranteed | | | | of documenting everything that reflects positive |
| incentive and bonus, commissions, insurance, country | | | | performance. Save (and when appropriate, solicit) |
| club privileges, financial and legal assistance, first class | | | | written letters of recognition. Note the overtime you |
| air passage, four-week paid vacation, job title, | | | | work, the goals you achieve, the money you save |
| secretary or support assistance, car phone, and so | | | | your employer, the bonuses you earn, etc. Be |
| forth. | | | | specific. Having all the pertinent facts at your disposal |
| One industrial troubleshooter I know earned $6,500 | | | | will help you build a credible case for your worth to |
| per year in 30 minutes just by researching his | | | | the company. |
| industry -- and by having a ready trade-off. In | | | | A colleague of mine helped place a substance abuse |
| negotiating with a potential new employer, this man | | | | counselor who began in this field as a volunteer. |
| had reached agreement on every point except salary. | | | | Years before, this man's hometown paper had |
| The employer wasn't budging from a figure $7,500 | | | | devoted a Sunday feature story to his volunteer |
| beneath what the applicant felt he was worth. | | | | work and the crisis intervention center he had helped |
| "In my current job," this man recalls, "I had calculated | | | | found. "I made this article an attachment to the |
| the monthly revenue I generated for my employer | | | | resume," says the counselor. "It said things about me |
| through billable hours and warranty claims avoidance. | | | | that might have sounded egotistical had I said them |
| It turned out to be about $12,000 per month over | | | | -- and carried more credibility as an outside source, |
| and above my salary. | | | | too. I believe that article, as much as any one thing, |
| "I also knew that the position for which I was | | | | helped me win my current position." |
| applying had been open for two months; experts in | | | | 9. Never make an easy concession |
| my field are rare. So I pointed out that it would cost | | | | When you make a concession, let the employer |
| the company less to hire me on the spot at my | | | | know it's difficult. Make small concessions first. Say to |
| desired salary than to wait another month and hire | | | | the employer, "If I give this up for you, what will you |
| another applicant at the lower salary -- if they could | | | | do for me?" or "Will you give me this in return?" You |
| find one. They wavered. So I offered to use my | | | | can afford to trade a few chips from your pile for an |
| new personal car for regional site visits at a fair | | | | immediate concession from your negotiator in return. |
| reimbursement rate. (I prefer my car over their fleet | | | | But remember, the value of your concession |
| cars anyhow.) That clinched it. They offered me | | | | diminishes rapidly, so the time to work your trade is |
| $6,500 more and I happily took it." | | | | before you concede a point for keeps. |
| Identify the goals of your prospective employer by | | | | Sometimes the best way to reduce your ultimate |
| trying to anticipate what offers you will be made. | | | | concession is to "flinch in surprise" and then be silent |
| Run through all possible scenarios you may encounter | | | | for a few moments when a figure is given. You may |
| in the negotiating phase. Set limits you will accept, | | | | even slowly repeat the figure and then be silent |
| and be prepared to walk away if your terms can't be | | | | again. If the employer becomes anxious about your |
| met -- assuming they're reasonable and realistic. In | | | | apparent resistance, he or she may sweeten the |
| the early stages of the negotiation, let the negotiator | | | | offer to mollify you. |
| know you're interested only in an exceptional | | | | 10. Always counteroffer |
| opportunity. You thereby set the stage so that the | | | | When you do respond to an offer, make a |
| interviewer is unlikely to make you a low offer. | | | | counteroffer a little higher than you expect to get. |
| 2. Choose a conducive setting | | | | The result? You may gain something without having |
| Choose an environment for the negotiation in which | | | | to give up something later in the negotiation. |
| both you and the interviewer feel comfortable. If | | | | However, keep your ultimate goal in mind: a win/win |
| possible, avoid distracting events such as dinner, and | | | | resolution. You have to come to work every day |
| distracting settings such as lounges or lobbies. Make | | | | with your negotiator, so it's important to appear |
| sure the person you're meeting has the authority to | | | | reasonable as well as self-respecting. |
| make the final decision. Otherwise, delay until | | | | 11. Accept when the time is right |
| someone with authority can meet with you. | | | | If your instincts tell you the time is right for the |
| 3. Always negotiate in person | | | | getting the best offer, push for a decision |
| Negotiating in person gives you the greatest control. | | | | immediately, even if it's your first offer. Sometimes |
| Face-to-face meetings provide the chance to read | | | | an employer will be more receptive to making an |
| and exchange body language, use silence | | | | offer right after a long, impressive interview than |
| constructively, make eye contact, and in general | | | | after a thoughtful delay and a cooling-off period. |
| enjoy a much richer and more subtle communication. | | | | Emotions play a major role in every negotiation, so |
| Less personal means of negotiation -- phone calls and | | | | settle when the employer's emotions are most |
| or the mails -- will almost always result in a less | | | | strongly in your favor. |
| satisfactory outcome. | | | | 12. Get your agreement in writing- Better yet, write |
| One sales engineer told me the difference it made to | | | | it yourself! |
| negotiate in the office of her future boss. "The | | | | As you accept an offer, establish your expectation |
| minute I walked in, I noticed pictures of racing | | | | of receiving a written employment agreement by a |
| sailboats on his wall. Well, I'm a nationally-ranked | | | | specific time. A written agreement reflects a firm |
| Hobie Cat racer, so we wound up swapping great | | | | commitment, and clarifies what is expected of both |
| racing stories for 20 minutes before we began talking | | | | you and your employer. |
| business. I got the job -- not only because we built a | | | | As part of your agreement, insist on a three to six |
| personal rapport, but because our good feelings | | | | month severance contract. This protects you if |
| convinced my boss that I'd warm up his firm's | | | | things don't work out. It protects you from a |
| prospects, too. | | | | company merger, takeover, new boss, and similar |
| "By phone," she concedes, "I never would have had | | | | surprises. It also insures fairer treatment from the |
| the visual cues that got things moving in the right | | | | employer. The employer will not grant a severance |
| direction." | | | | contract unless he or she feels you're right for the |
| 4. Never negotiate with strangers | | | | job. He or she will also work harder in meeting the |
| Build rapport early in the meeting. Creating an open, | | | | agreement to avoid having to settle a severance |
| relaxed, friendly environment develops trust and | | | | contract. |
| mutual respect. Start negotiation proper only after | | | | Offer to write the agreement yourself as this allows |
| you and your counterparts are comfortable with one | | | | you to ensure the inclusion of all details to which you |
| another. | | | | and your employer agree. If you're switching |
| 5. Establish mutual goals | | | | employers, don't turn in your resignation until after |
| Concentrate on establishing and reinforcing points of | | | | you have the letter of agreement in your hands. |
| agreement. Continually reiterate your feeling of | | | | 13. Guarantee your performance, and honor your |
| mutual compatibility and cite the positive attributes of | | | | guarantee |
| both parties. This creates a bond of harmony to help | | | | You can generally negotiate better terms for |
| overcome the differences which are likely to arise in | | | | yourself if you are willing to commit to specific |
| negotiation. If you hit a sticking point, reviewing your | | | | performance goals. Doing so also works in your favor |
| points of agreement and shared goals will rebuild your | | | | when it's time to review your performance; these |
| accord with your negotiators. | | | | goals provide a ready-made, tailor-made yardstick. |
| 6. Let the negotiator raise the subject of money | | | | Once you commit to performance goals, follow |
| "To negotiate, you've got to care, but not that | | | | through. Negotiations with employers are a |
| much." | | | | continuous cycle, beginning the day you arrive and |
| The first person to mention money usually pays for | | | | extending to your next salary review when the cycle |
| his impatience. Let the employer bring it up as many | | | | begins anew. |
| times as necessary -- without talking numbers | | | | |