Landing a job is less difficult than landing a job of your liking. However, even having a job opportunity of your preference does not guarantee you all the benefits you want to acquire through the job. The solution to this frustrating scenario is to “negotiate”.
Employers are not minded readers, you have to step up your game and take responsibility for your career. Negotiate intelligently with higher authorities and it is very much possible to grab a dream job of your liking with all the desired salary and benefits.
While following the important points given below you can hold your ground firmly during negotiating work offer terms with employers.
What is Negotiable in a Job Offer?
The first thing to do is to know what exactly comes on the negotiable table. Make a list of negotiable items and then write down your preferences from highest to least priority. This will give you a clear idea of which item is more important to you than others. Some of the negotiable items usually present in a job offer are:
- Income
- Joining Date
- Level of authority
- Number of holidays
- Outdoor expenses
- Car mileage
- Extra allowances
- Remote work
- Contract terms
- Laptop and Mobile package
- Budget and many more
Research the Market for Salary
Salary is mostly among the top items that an employee wants to negotiate after getting a job offer. It is recommended to be prepared and does extensive market research about the salary packages that different organizations are offering to their respective employees for the position you are being offered.
Thankfully websites like PayScale and Glassdoor exist that help you in gaining an idea about the average wage and salary statistics for a specific job or industry. Glassdoor especially gives you an elaborate research result by showing salaries with respect to different cities for jobs from an entry level to a higher level position.
Research the Company
Don’t appear for the job interview without knowing the culture and position of the respective company. To negotiate your terms of job offer you must do detail research on the company’s background, functionality, management and values. To have an idea about their pay scale, ask existing and old employees about the salary they are getting.
Question them about how they negotiated their job terms with the hiring authorities and how flexible is the management when it comes to doing negotiation talk. One great resource of knowing a respective company is their website “about us” page. This particular page is all about the company’s performance, traditions, and goals.
Tackle Questions Intelligently
In order to successfully negotiate your job terms; firstly you must know how to win over your hiring party. To be able to achieve that between you and employer is only possible with intelligent tackling of conversation and questions. Be mentally ready for tricky questions like do you have any other job offers? Are we your first choice?
Many times an employer just wants to see how you react to the proposed question and how confident you are while answering it. Always consider the intent of the question rather than the question itself.
Try to be as truthful as possible during the conversation because lying is unethical and it can cause you trouble in the future. Maintain a professional attitude throughout the negotiation and answer confidently without sounding over smart or cheesy because that usually puts off the employer.
A candidate generally has an idea about what questions can be asked; therefore it would be wise if you have come prepared for difficult questions in advance.
Suppose the negotiation talk lands on the salary argument and the employer asks you about what was your previous company paying you? Handle the situation with brains and don’t tell exactly what you have earned in the last job. Instead, tell the potential employer about the general amount of income offered to that particular position and ask them to offer a salary based on that record.
Present Your Value for the Company
Half of the battle at the negotiation table is already won if you are able to prove yourself as a great valuable asset for the company. Recognize your strengths and know how to demonstrate them to your possible employer.
Do some research before the meeting so that you can explain the hiring team about how helpful you can be in making the company or department move forward. Tell them about the capabilities you possess in an enthusiastic way so that they can see your interest and willingness for the respective job position.
It will also help them understand why you deserve the things you are asking for in job offer negotiation. Never state your request without illuminating the detail about why you are worthy of this demand. If in any case, you cannot justify your worth then don’t come up with such demand on the negotiation table.
Don’t Panic if Things Go Wrong
Job offer negotiations can go both ways. No matter what is the outcome of the discussion; just don’t panic. Keep your mind alert and emotions aside. A situation can come during the negotiation that you are not being offered your demanded salary; however, there are numbers of other beneficial attributes being offered beside that.
Calculate carefully in your mind about the positive perks and negative cons without giving your concern away. This way with the help of your calm brain you can make an accurate decision regarding the job offer.
Negotiate Where it is Necessary
Some people just indulge in negotiations because of their habit. Avoid such fun and negotiate only where it seems genuine and understandable. Do not give an impression of a bargainer; instead, portray yourself as a sensible advocate of your terms.
It is foolish to beat the bush around every minor issue. Only negotiate matters that really concern you. Otherwise, you will not only lose your job opportunity but will also lose your credibility as a professional person.
There is no rocket science behind job offer negotiations, you just have to think sharp and act professionally at the discussion table. It is not compulsory to accept or decline the job offer right on the spot, you can ask for a limited time to think about it in order to take a decision. If your decision is “yes” then remember to get the agreed terms in writing before joining the job.
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