Successful Negotiation

Many of our candidates and clients start out dreading the offer/negotiation stage in a job search. But it doesn't have to be a stressful process, especially because we believe the most effective negotiation strategy results in a win-win outcome based on a few skillful techniques. The three basic underlying elements in every negotiation are: time, information, and the assumption of power. Your personal inventory of needs, in the context of the elements, will enable you to make an effective assessment of your situation, and predict probable outcome.

• Time. What are the time constraints in this negotiation? What is the deadline pressure? In most cases, our clients "need the person yesterday," so we always urge them to move swiftly and cleanly with respect to an offer. No one benefits from a "ping-pong" approach or long drawn out negotiation. Once an offer has been made, it's reasonable for a candidate to have a few days (up to a week) to consider the offer - requesting more time most likely sends a " low interest" message to a potential employer.
  
• Information. Do you know enough about the situation and everyone's needs, or are you guessing? And by the way, what does the other side know about your needs? Make sure that all parties involved know which components are most important to you and be specific about what the winning scenario should look like. Do your homework to make sure expectations are realistic. The clearer you are about what you need, the more likely the company will try to do its best to deliver an offer than meets (or exceeds) those expectations.
  
• Power. Do you have an accurate picture of the relative strength or control factors in the negotiation? Who can least afford to walk away from the table? Again, the market has changed with numerous industry layoffs, and dot-com failures. Be sure to assess this accurately, because at some point, a company has the choice of moving to the next best candidate.