We’ve covered a lot of ground when it comes to the best way to negotiate job offers. You’re probably wondering what else can be done to improve the chances of a successful negotiation. Well, it’s really all in the attitude.
BE SURE OF YOUR DECISION.
Sticking to a decision can be challenging, especially when it is the result of a discussion between two parties whose agenda do not align. A job offer is a prime example of such a situation. The potential hire and the potential employer might have different ideas of the value of the potential business relationship between them.
A candidate might be convinced that the job offer is somewhat lacking compared to what she or he can do for the company. Meanwhile, the company believes that the offer they’ve given is just and fair considering what they can get out of hiring the candidate.
A career-seeker who knows how to effectively negotiate job offers will have approached such a situation honestly, and armed with information on their actual market value. That exact method has been discussed here before. But there’s something else that the career-seeker can do to show how committed they are to pursuing a goal, and it’s something that can take effect in a matter of seconds.
Imagine yourself in the same example. Now imagine that after all the discussion, your response to the job offer is to decline. You gave your reasons for declining the offer, and the employer tries to see if they can’t change your mind. They ask you if you’re sure.
Your response to that question can be the deciding factor on whether the company gives in to what you want or not.
If you hesitate and show any hint of possibly changing your mind, they will take it as a sign of your inability to follow through with a decision. Therefore, they will insist on the same job offer, and you might become trapped into accepting it because you already showed some hesitation.
But if you repeat your original answer right away, without any hesitation, they will be the ones to hesitate. They might reconsider the terms of the job offer because they don’t want to let you go so easily. The company already got you to this stage; they would want to get something out of it, therefore they will not be so quick to close the door once you decline the offer.
In a way, this can be considered a mind game. But if you play it right, it will also send them a message that you stand by your decisions no matter what the stakes. They will take this as an indicator of high accountability, something that every organization wants from its employees.
This is just one small gesture that you can use, but its impact is powerful. It can be the difference between wasting all of your previous preparation for the negotiation, and making sure that it all counts.
And that’s the beauty of this process; each step we’ve described works even better as part of a whole. So remember all you have learned in these discussions, and you’ll be on your way to getting the most out of your job offers.