| The season and setting are the same, a fine spring | | | | most certainly be a substantial salary hike for him, |
| evening outside the door of Mr. Young Executive's | | | | plus certain other unnamed benefits that they could |
| house. The time is different, however, and so is | | | | "work out" if Mr. Key were interested. |
| Young Executive. He is fifteen years older and fifteen | | | | He doesn't realize it, but the advent of the |
| years wiser. His salary is now $180,000 a year. | | | | headhunter, her offer, and all that it implies, has just |
| The main change in Young Executive, however, is | | | | opened the door to a fruitful estate-building |
| that his name is different. In corporate circles he is | | | | opportunity for him. |
| known as Mr. Key Executive, a person whose | | | | Mr. Key is now in a bargaining position. Both |
| business acumen and devotion to his company make | | | | companies want him, and are willing to negotiate with |
| him a valued asset. As Mr. Key, he is no longer | | | | him for additional benefits that will secure his services |
| merely a hired man. He has become a valued partner | | | | and his loyalties. Most corporations regard these |
| in the corporation, in spirit if not in fact. He is a | | | | additional benefits as inducements and incentives for |
| decision maker, a planner, and a member of the | | | | key employees. They realize that people like Mr. Key |
| corporate management team, performing many of | | | | are hard to come by, that they devote all their time |
| the functions that the old-time individual business | | | | and energy to their work, often to the neglect of |
| owner used to perform. | | | | their own financial problems. They know that they |
| Corporation Americana wants to hang on to its Mr. | | | | must help Mr. Key make up for that neglect by |
| Key. He is one of the important people on the team | | | | offering special opportunities to ensure the financial |
| that makes the profits. They would like to build a | | | | security of Mr. Key and his family. They know an |
| fence around him, if that were possible, to keep him | | | | unworried executive can concentrate on the |
| from straying down the street to a competitor. | | | | company's needs instead of diverting his time and |
| By a not-so-odd coincidence, this is exactly what Mr. | | | | attention to his own financial concerns. |
| Key is thinking of doing on this very spring evening. | | | | These additional benefits, if Mr. Key bargains well and |
| He is returning from a most interesting meeting with | | | | wisely for them, will provide him with a custom-made |
| a person known in the higher-echelon circles he | | | | program of capital accumulation that can be keyed to |
| frequents as a headhunter, a person who specializes | | | | the rest of his estate plan and to his regular |
| in finding top executives for her corporate clients. | | | | compensation package. Its long-range benefits may |
| The most likely place to find such top executives is in | | | | be worth far more than a mere salary raise. |
| other corporations. | | | | The companies will make offers, undoubtedly. But if |
| This particular "headhunter" has just "found" Mr. Key. | | | | Mr. Key is to drive a good bargain, he must not only |
| The client in question is Corporation GlobalBiz: | | | | listen to offers; he should also make proposals of his |
| powerful, big and successful, just like Mr. Key's own | | | | own. To do that, he needs to analyze two important |
| Corporation Americana. Mr. Key got the idea, although | | | | factors: his own needs and the range of possible |
| no precise terms were discussed, that there would | | | | benefits open to him. |