Negotiating a job offer is like a first date. You want to strike the right balance between assertive and confident, but not too aggressive or needy. It’s important to remember that no matter how much you deserve that job, you’re still asking someone else for something they have in their possession. As such, it’s best to focus on what you can do for the company rather than what they can do for you—unless it’s clear that there are major things on your side of the table as well—and stay firm when negotiating your salary.
Do your research
Before you have a conversation with your potential employer, it’s a good idea to do some research. The first step is to know what the market rate for your position is–and more importantly, how much other companies are paying people in that same role. If you can find out what other employees at your company make (without being too nosy), that will be helpful as well.
In addition to market research, finding out about benefits can help you negotiate better terms on salary and benefits. For example: if there’s an annual bonus or stock options plan in place, ask about them before agreeing to anything else during negotiations!
Acknowledge the offer
Acknowledge the offer. “”Thanks so much for this job offer,”” you say, “”but I need some time to think about it.””
Ask for time to talk to spouse/family. “”This is an amazing opportunity,”” you tell your potential employer, “”and I’m really excited about joining your team! But I also want to get your thoughts on how this will affect our family life before making a final decision.””
Ask for time to talk to lawyer/financial planner/other trusted advisor who isn’t currently employed by your future employer but has been known throughout their career as someone who can be trusted with confidential information pertaining specifically toward business negotiations such as these (e.g., not just any friend or family member).
Remember that time is money
It’s easy to forget that time is money–especially when you’re in the middle of negotiating a job offer. The longer you wait, the more money you lose: not only does your potential employer have less time to reconsider their offer before hiring someone else, but any salary increase will be delayed until after your start date.
Asking for what you want doesn’t necessarily mean getting everything on your wish list; it just means being able to articulate what that is clearly and concisely so that both parties can understand each other’s needs better. Negotiating is an essential skill in any field where salaries are based on performance rather than seniority or tenure (which means pretty much every industry). Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want!
Know what you want and why you want it.
Know what you want and why you want it.
Be able to explain your position.
Be able to explain why you should get it.
This is an important point: Before going into any negotiation, it’s essential that you know exactly what your goals are and why they are important to YOU–and not just because someone else told you so or because that’s how things usually work in this industry/organization/company (or whatever). You need to be able to articulate these points clearly and confidently when asked about them during the negotiation process so that others don’t get confused or distracted by other issues or objections they may raise later on down the road!
Ask for a little more than you think you deserve.
This is the biggest reason why people don’t negotiate their job offers. They’re afraid they’ll ask for something that sounds ridiculous, and then the employer will laugh at them and say no.
But here’s the thing: if you’re a strong candidate with an in-demand skill set, there’s a good chance that your prospective employer will be willing to work with you on salary–and even if they aren’t, asking for more than what they initially offered can be an effective way to get them to increase their offer!
It all comes down to how much leverage you have in this particular negotiation scenario (i.e., whether or not there are other people waiting in line for your role). If there isn’t another person ready and willing to take over from where you leave off at Company X but rather just another pile of resumes on their desk–and especially if Company X really needs someone with those skills right now due to some kind of imminent project deadline or personnel shortage–then chances are pretty good that if Company X rejects one potential hire because he/she asked too much money during negotiations, then another candidate may step right up next week with no questions asked about salary requirements whatsoever…
Takeaway:
You’re going to want to ask for more than you think is reasonable. You can always take it down a notch if they balk at your initial request, but if they don’t counter with an offer that’s better than what you had in mind, then there’s no point in continuing the negotiation process.
You should also be prepared to walk away if things aren’t working out–not just because some employers might not be willing or able to meet your demands (and who knows how many other offers there are out there), but also because sometimes companies will make promises and then not follow through on them later on down the line when it comes time for raises or promotions. Make sure any promises made by employers are written down so there’s proof when necessary!
Conclusion
We hope you have found this guide to negotiating a job offer helpful. Remember, it’s not just about getting what you want out of the deal–it’s also about making sure that the company gets what it needs from you! Good luck!
