Negotiating 101

Negotiating 101 Negotiating can not begin until there is a job offer on the table. Your chances of negotiating a desired outcome are greater if you gather the right information during the interview. If you dont know about the vacation policy, benefits, and other fringe then you dont know the value of the total compensation package the company if offering. Do not disclose any of the following during your interview: I want to make at least $X.I need to make at least $X.I made $X in my last job, so I am hoping for more.I retired from XYZ company after a successful career with them.I really dont need to know about your health insurance, I am on my spouses policy.I hope to go back to school soon. What is your tuition reimbursement policy?My spouse lost his job and is a stay at home dad. This is none of their business. And, by the way, how dare they ask about any of these thingsdoes the employer want to know, ABSOLUTELY. They will use this information against you. The employers motivation is to get the best deal at the lowest costalmost 100% of the time. Watch out. Approach the negotiating table with a win-win mentality. You may have to make a concession in order towinsome of theother items on your list of negotiables.Letting the employer feel theyve had a win willmake them feelmore powerful and shos them that you are really interested in making this work.However, negotiating should not be an emotional event, it is a business transaction. Keeping your emotions in check will hopefully allow you to see the situation more clearly. Identify your go, no go point for each negotiable. In other words, if they cant reach your minimum PTO/vacation time requirement and the policy is truly inflexible, be willing to walk away from the table. One person I know settled on a job making less money than he felt he should be making. Make no mistake, he is miserable in his job. He is open about the fact that he is underpaid. That has now led to his feeling undervalued. When you feel undervalued, you become undervalued or disengaged. It is a vicious cycle. Dont enter into it. Be ready to walk if they dont meet your minimum. It is just as easy to get more than you hoped. All you have to do is ask. However, and this is a huge however, you have to understand your value in the marketplace. What is the salary range of others in that company, what is the industry range? Your desired number must fall inside these parameters. The other important factor to your value is the age-old principle of supply and demand. It doesnt matter how much experience you have, how many certifications, what degree, if everyone else in the market has the same qualifications, it will drive down the amount the companies are offering. This supply and demand phenomenon can be regional or international. Stay ahead of the curve, know what skills are cutting edge and keep your saw sharp! There is a classic book, Getting to Yes, on theart of negotiating, not a job offer, but anything. Good read.