Thisarticlewas originally published on.cultbyJames Q.
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You just got done with an interview and you nailed it.
So, how do you find the sweet spot to negotiate appropriately?
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
On the flip side, its your responsibility to advocate that you are the right candidate for the job.
To advocate for yourself, think about what makes you special?
What do you have to offer that other candidates do not have?
Here are some areas to think about for yourself:
Spend some time thinking about what makes you unique.
Youll want to leverage any advantage you have over other qualified candidates.
Theres the old cliche, never make the first offer, but its hard to avoid during this process.
Regardless, the key is to be prepared.
Prepare yourself by doing your research and having a solid understanding of what your relative value is.
Many people lack confidence in negotiating because they cant articulate their value effectively.
By doing sufficient research, you could remove emotion and make it a matter of fact conversation.
The secret to negotiating is making it a fact-based conversation and not an emotional one.
Here are a few websites to start with.
Do you have friends, family, or coworkers that you are comfortable enough to talk to?
Here are a few ways they might be able to help.
Mock Negotiating
Regardless of how much preparation you do, negotiating is tough.
Dont let the phone call with the employer be the first time you talk out loud about negotiating.
Just like any other skill, you gotta practice.
Find a friend that can practice the conversation with you beforehand.
you might rehearse negotiations just like you would for an interview, speech, etc.
Honest Feedback
Good and trusted friends are ones that can give positive AND constructive feedback.
Share the research youve done, and see how they respond.
With the right person, they will be honest about whether or not they agree with your findings.
As with anything else, it never hurts to get different opinions.
Compensation
In special cases, you might even ask close and trusted friends about their compensation.
This can be a very sensitive subject, so confirm its the right person.
This helped me have a better understanding of what to expect for myself based on my relative experience.
Would they ask for more money?
Would they ask for other aspects of compensation (again, more below)?
How would they approach this situation?
Here are a few:
There is much more to consider with overall compensation than just salary.
Maybe this means less guaranteed salary, but a higher potential bonus percentage or more stock options or grants.
Additionally, time off is probably extremely important.
Figure out which aspects of compensation you value most.
All in all, dont let these two specific hypothetical scenarios define how you respond.
Know that you have the power to negotiate any combination of these items.
Again, the goal is to take emotion out of the equation.
You should have a general idea of how you would respond to different types of offers.
Based on the research Ive done, the average salary for this position is $X.
Because of that, I would like to ask for $Y.
This number seems to be on par with the average salary I found in my research.
I can bring X, Y, and Z skills to your company that others cannot.
High offer
If the offer is high, well… go celebrate!
But take some time to consider it before giving an official response.
Dont ever say Yes on the spot.
Always take a day or two at least to consider it.
Dont make a hasty decision.
Heres how I would respond to this:
Thank you for the offer.
Im incredibly excited about this.
Would you mind if I take a couple of days to think it over?
You might be tempted to negotiate regardless of the offer being higher than expected.
Personally, I dont feel the need to do so.
Bonus take notes
As you execute the five tips weve discussed, take notes!
Dont expect to be able to regurgitate your strengths or salary requirements on the spot.
Its easy to get flustered during a conversation, so write down everything you want to communicate.
Just know that it is your responsibility to advocate for yourself because most companies wont do it for you.
Remember: do your research, practice, and come prepared.
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