By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
I’m talking about being prepared to negotiate salary. This show was originally recorded as a podcast
Now, most people negotiate, and they totally… . . They messed up the dog. You know, what they do is they make huge mistakes along the way, and then they get to the end and they’re completely unprepared.
Momentum is building for them to accept a job or reject a job, and it’s really beyond your control. So, I want to help you stop making mistakes and give you some pointers along the way to help you be more effective when negotiating your salary. Now, some of this is very basic stuff that I think you know, but, you know, let’s start by clarifying what is necessary for you and what is not necessary as part of the negotiation.
The Second Easiest Way to Negotiate a Higher Salary
If you haven’t done this before your first interview, you must do it now. Take a moment to stop, sit down with a tablet or something, jot down some notes for yourself, and really understand what’s important to you in your next job or organization, what you need to see or hear to believe it’s a good choice, and how much money you’ll really need to accept a position there. Now, remember to factor in taxes.
It’s one thing if you are currently in a zero state income tax area but move to New York (not a zero state income tax area). So, figure out your funding situation and, secondly, understand the true value of the area of the market that you’re looking at. Using New York and Florida as an example, when you move to Florida, using New York wages as a benchmark is not helpful because the market wages there are not as high.
Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to get as much money as you can, but wages in Florida, New Mexico, or Iowa are not the same as those in large urban areas. So, you have to adjust your expectations and figure out from there if this is something you can afford. Now, in doing all of this, I always remind people not to just focus on the money, I want to remind you that your first job is to make them fall in love.
Convince them that you’re the right choice for their organization and really make that your number one goal, because after all, the simplest scenario is if you don’t perform well in the interview, in which case they have nothing to offer, right? This is not what you want. You always want to get job offers and impress people because, one, you never know you’re going to run into these people again, and two, the more impressed they are, the more willing they are to pay you, right? So, in summary, you have to make them fall in love with you, and from an employer’s perspective, they want to know why you’re interested in their job. What is it about you and your experiences that makes them interested in you? Now, as we get further along in the process, I always remind people that everyone has objections.
How to Negotiate Salary with a Recruiter
They’ll try to use objections to drive down the price, or see if you’ll give in a little. After all, I’m just using numbers hypothetically. If their budget goes to 100 and you’re looking for 125 and you want to make 125, they may try to dissuade you from the job, but that doesn’t mean they’re right.
This is just their strategy. This is the strategy they are trying to employ. So try and anticipate some of the objections you will encounter.
Well, you made too much money for us. Really? Well, I’ve found that a lot of organizations are very happy with that. Do you really have a chance to look around and see what value there is in what I do? Have you really explored the market, or is this just a random budget issue? Now, you can do this in a more elegant way, but understand that they are trying to knock you down and you are trying to push them back.
So recognize that this is called negotiation. It won’t take it or leave it on either side. A lot of people have gotten lazy about it over the years, and I’m just here to remind you that culturally, if you’re not used to negotiating, you have to start practicing.
I know there are a lot of cultures in the world where negotiation is the norm, and if that’s not your experience, hey, when are you walking into McDonald’s? Walk into a Starbucks. Walk into any restaurant and it’s in front of you. . . When you order, simply say, can I negotiate with you? I know this sounds like a ridiculous thing to say.
After all, this is Starbucks. This is McDonald’s. They never negotiate.
Well, surprisingly, sometimes they do. So, it just takes a little practice. Now, I want to remind you of one thing from your perspective that I think is very important, and that is if you negotiate with a win-win attitude. . . Remember, there are many organizations trying to teach win-win negotiation.
Well, if it’s a win-win negotiation, that means you’re going to lose. You’ll be giving up too many points to make them feel good. They have much more money than you.
Don’t focus on their wins. They can pay you a little more and admit some other issues. Remember, a win-win means you lose.
Browse competitive offers
So if you keep that in mind, it also means you have to be prepared to say no. Now, if you’re unemployed and this is your only job opportunity, you’re more likely to give up more things because you’re eager to get back to work, especially if you’ve been out for a long time. So, recognize this and try to take steps to make them more flexible.
So one of the ways to show flexibility with your money is to go, thank you. I’m happy to join your company. I think this is a very good offer.
But I heard there are other better deals out there. Can you do a little better on this offer? Because by asking this question you are asking them to negotiate with themselves. Even if they ask you, do you have any other offers? Well, I got a quote for a $5,000 markup on such-and-such a location, or a $10,000 markup on that location.
Now, if you don’t, and you’re unemployed, then stop being an asshole here. Then humbly say to them, I am very honored by this offer. I’m inclined to say yes, but I have to ask you frankly.
Can you touch me again? And, you know, how much? You know, whatever you think is appropriate. You know, at the end of the day, if that’s the case, I understand. But can you do better? So be smart, be reasonable, and say yes to the offer no matter what they say after that.
Now, many of your friends will encourage you to do stupid things because it works for them. But that doesn’t mean it will work for you. Remember, you are not a skilled negotiator.
You don’t hold over 1,200 positions and have consulting assignments like me. You are not someone like me who does this all the time. You’re the one who does this every few years.
How many ad-hoc assignments have you negotiated for yourself, even if it’s once every few months? 20? perhaps? six? You know, how much experience do you have? How many opportunities have you missed due to mistakes and strategies? You know, so be reasonable here. Don’t miss out on opportunities by going beyond what is reasonable. Again, remember, I told you to know your worth at the beginning of your search.
Before you do any more interviews, find out what the market is paying for what you do so you have a clear idea of what your true value is. Now, I also want to remind you that it is important to find a time and a place to relax. For a lot of people, what happens is because it’s so important to you, you become deadly serious, you become so nervous about everything you do, and the result is that it’s no longer fun for you.
Yes, it’s business, but you can’t go crazy with them. You need to find a way to release stress. Go to the gym.
38 Deadly Interview Mistakes to Avoid
If you are a ski enthusiast in winter, go skiing and skating. In the summer, go for a run. Go for a run at the gym.
If you don’t like running, walk. Doing some aerobic exercise can remove tension from your system so you can control your emotions. Remember, as they say in The Godfather, if it ain’t business, it ain’t business.
It’s not personal. This is business. So even if ultimately they say, no, this is the best we can do.
I know this is disappointing. But remember, eventually, you may come across an opportunity worth taking. So, I’m Jeff Altman.
Here are some tips from me. I hope they are helpful to you. Visit my website TheBigGameHunter.us. There’s a lot you can watch, listen to, or read to help you find a job faster.
I also want to mention that if we are not connected on LinkedIn, please send a connection request forward slash IN forward slash TheBigGameHunter on LinkedIn.com. I accept connection requests from people all over the world unless you look like a spammer or a scammer unless you are a third party recruiter. Finally, like I said before, you are an amateur when it comes to job hunting.
You are not a professional. You do this every few years. If you try, you can do it every six months, six weeks, what have you.
What you do is nowhere near what I do. Instead of making costly mistakes during your job search, contact me at PrestoExperts.com or schedule a meeting through clarity.fm or my website (TheBigGameHunter.us). You will see a section on my website that says “If you have any questions or anything related to this”. Contact me through one of these services.
Let’s schedule a time to talk because you don’t want to do anything expensive. you? You know, it’s costly in terms of the amount of money you make at the end of the day, it’s costly in terms of missing out on the opportunities that you were trying to get. So I’m Jeff Altman.
Hope you enjoyed today’s episode. Hope you have a nice day. careful.
How to create a positive first impression?
About big game hunter Jeff Altman
People hire “Big Game Hunter” Jeff Altman to provide no-nonsense job coaching and career advice around the world because he makes your job search and career success easier.
You can find useful information and job search guidance to help you find a job at Job Hunting.Community
What companies consider when selecting board members
Connected LinkedIn
Schedule a discovery call to discuss one-on-one or group coaching with me during your job search: www.TheBigGameHunter.us.
How long should you stay in a job you hate?
We allow this and other articles to be used on your site as long as they include a backlink www.TheBigGameHunter.us and states that it is provided by Jeff Altman of The Big Game Hunter as the author or creator. Does not acknowledge his work or provide backlinks www.TheBigGameHunter.us Subjects you to a $1,000 fine, which you voluntarily agree to pay. Please contact us to discuss using our content as training data.
