Negotiation important when considering job offers
By Tom Silveri
Even after you've gone through the interview process and received an offer, you're not home free until you evaluate the terms and decide whether to take the job.
Accepting the offer on the spot is one of the biggest mistakes job seekers make. Doing so immediately closes the door on negotiation. Even if you don't think you are a strong negotiator, you should always take time to consider an offer to be sure it fits your needs.
Remember these tips when negotiating the terms of your offers:
Keep the atmosphere congenial and professional.
The individual with whom you're negotiating could be your next manager, so it's important to set a positive tone from the beginning. Try to negotiate in person, if possible. Employers often make offers over the phone, but you should make every attempt to conduct negotiations face-to-face.
Aim for a win-win scenario.
Both parties should feel they've won some concessions. Look for trade-offs, or concede some of your "nice-to-have" items. Flexibility is necessary on both sides.
Know your market value.
Assess your strengths in relation to the marketplace, and try to determine how much the company needs or wants you. Consider whether your skills are rare in the marketplace and if the company could readily find someone else if they don't agree to your terms.
Obtain salary data from sources within the industry. Do not rely solely on nationally published statistics, but search the Web for your appropriate salary based on your level, experience and location.
Link each negotiable item to the position.
For example, if you need to have your moving cost covered by the company — and they do not generally cover moving expenses — providing you with a signing bonus will not break company precedents but will allow you to move your family to the area quickly so you can devote your energy to the new position.
Put all points on the table at the same time.
If you don't do this, you may create the suspicion that there will always be one more item to be disclosed, and the other party may lose willingness to negotiate.
Keep in mind that you can negotiate on almost any basis except your personal needs. What you need for your children's education, mortgage payments or college loans are your problems, not the company's. Moving is a possible exception, however, you must still have a valid, work-related rationale to support your stance.
Control the discussion.
Develop an agenda for the negotiation and prioritize it, beginning with the most important item.
Do not make an impromptu decision.
Decide the limits of your flexibility before you begin negotiation. Be prepared to answer the following question: If things do not proceed in my favor, am I prepared to walk away from the offer?
Prepare a contingency plan.
If your initial requests are denied, you can ask for a shorter merit increase period (for example, a review in three months rather than the traditional six-month period), more vacation time, or a signing bonus instead of a higher base salary.
From the USA Today Careers Network. For more career and workplace news, visit usatodaycareers.com.
Tom Silveri is president and chief executive officer for DBM (www.dbm.com), which provides human resource solutions in employee transition, retention, development and selection.
