| With an offer from a company, can you negotiate
in a "tough" job market? |
| Is the employer willing to
negotiate? In some cases, companies or government agencies are unwilling to negotiate
because they have set hiring and compensation policies and procedures. During economic
uncertainty, companies who negotiated in the past may be reluctant to spend time in
negotiation. This requires diplomacy on your part to discover the receptivity to
negotiation. Before negotiating, review the information and skills needed. |
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| If you believe the company is open to negotiation, where should you
begin? |
| During each interview, you
concentrated on your goals and objectives. You learned from the campus and site visits how
the company could provide opportunities to enhance your development. Now, is the time to
assess the following: |
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your
career goals and objectives, |
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your
motivations, and |
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the
match between the opportunities offered by the company and your goals, |
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objectives,
and motivations. |
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| Why begin with you? If you are
planning to negotiate, you need a clear understanding of the attributes and value that you
bring to the company. How can you help the company achieve results? Negotiation is not a
list of your wants or needs, but an opportunity to review the values of the company and
assess how your motivation, knowledge, competencies, and understanding add value. You may
decide that money is not the only consideration. Career development and satisfaction may
have more relevance. |
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After assessing your goals and objectives,
where can you find information about salary offers? |
| Successful negotiation
requires knowledge and the ability to predict what the offer will provide in the future.
The calculations for the future complicate the information you need. You must rely on your
skill to calculate the value. For example, is the salary based on step increases related
to performance? Bonuses? Evaluation of the offer may include the following: |
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salary
structure, |
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benefits,
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relocation
allowance, and |
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bonuses. |
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| Where can you learn more to evaluate the
salary offer? |
| The easiest information to
find is the salary data.
Engineering Career Services (ECS) has data about offers for recent graduates and for
students participating in summer, intern or cooperative education. If your offer is in
another state, you may check the web sites of the universities located in that state. In
addition to looking at the salary data, check web sites that provide cost of living
indexes. |
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| At ECS, check for information
from the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE). NACE provides nationwide
data on salary offers and surveys of their members related to employment trends. |
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Where can you learn more
about benefit packages? |
| Assessing the value of a
benefits package is more difficult because it is more intangible. Information to compare
excellent to poor benefits is difficult or impossible to find. The benefits are often 30+%
of the salary. In negotiation if you propose a higher salary, the company may point out,
or counter, that their benefits package, allowances, or bonuses more than compensate for
paying a higher salary. You will need knowledge to maintain the negotiation process. |
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Where can you learn
more to begin and maintain the process of negotiation? |
| Yes, negotiation is a process.
The process involves compromise. You do not open a conversation expecting to receive a
higher salary because you ask. With the knowledge of the value you bring to the company
and the value of the compensation offered, you need to develop a strategy. |
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| This strategy involves the
points that are important to you and where you can compromise. You should expect a counter
or a request for justification from the employer for each demand you make. You must be
ready to propose and acceptable position. Successful negotiation is likely to proceed
through several stages of proposal and counter offer. With each counter offer from the
employer, you need how close you are to your "bottom line." This is not a
process to undertake lightly. |
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| Where can you find information
on the negotiation process? Your favorite bookstore has a variety of books in the career
section on negotiation. A suggested resource is Negotiate Your Job Offer by Mary
Simon. This book is easy to scan and takes you through the negotiation process and is
available in room 308 of Marston Hall. |
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| You have evaluated your goals and
gathered information, are you ready to begin negotiation? |
| Is your attitude ready? This
is your prospective employer and you want to enhance your professionalism and credibility.
A positive outlook is important. The company has placed confidence in your capabilities by
making an offer. You need to show your respect for the offer and create an understanding
of the extra value you bring to the company that might influence the offer. What are your
unique qualities? Where have you proven you can deliver results? You should create a
"win-win" for both you and the employer. If you are not successful with your
negotiation, you want to report to work with your professional reputation enhanced and
intact. |
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| You have learned about negotiation and you
do not have confidence in your skills to engage in a complicated negotiation process, but
you do have a question. From your salary analysis your offer was $3,000 lower than your
university and the national averages. What should you do? |
| You have done your homework by
checking the salary data and the cost of living indexes. You have checked your attitude
and considered the value that you bring to the company. It is appropriate to ask the
company if they can match the salary paid to students in your major at your university
based on the value of your skill set. When you ask for additional salary, you need to
clearly build you case to support the additional salary. |
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| You are reluctant to begin the
negotiation process, but you have two offers and one is $4,000 lower. You are not certain,
but the benefits seem comparable. If the company with the lower offer is your first
choice, can you ask for an increase based on the higher offer? |
| Yes, you can professionally
contact the company with the lower offer and say that you have an offer that is $4,000
higher. You should not mention the name because companies prefer anonymity. If the company
with the lower salary is likely to help you develop your career goals and objectives, you
can ask for a salary increase based on your competencies and value to the company. You
should be prepared for a "no." When you inquire professionally, the company
should not be offended by your assertiveness. |
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You have only one offer
and it is close to graduation, what if this is not the "ideal" job? |
| Once again, your
attitude is important. Prepare for a positive surprise. You can more easily evaluate a job
from the inside rather than the outside. Instead of looking for a new job, you may use
your negotiation skills with your employer to enhance your career options. |
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| With your first
job, you should establish a strategy for career success. Acquire a library of career books
and regularly check your favorite web sites. The transition to a career position is a
process of adjustments. A paperback book that provides tips for the first year is The
Ultimate New Employee Survival Guide "Make the Most of your Career from Day
One" by Ed Holton. Become active in a professional organization to network with
engineers outside your company. |
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