You've gone through the hiring process, been shortlisted, interviewed, reference checked and now you get the job offer! Going through the process of getting a new job offer can be extremely exciting but also nerve-wracking, especially when it comes to negotiating the terms of the job offer the organisation has put on the table. Simply put, sometimes the offer looks different to what you were expecting, and it is absolutely ok to ask for clarity or negotiated points in the contract that aren't sitting right with you.
However, there are many ways in which negotiating can be done… some negotiate well, while others can fall into poor negations, which add tension or become unsuccessful in reaching a mutual agreement. These are our tips to ensure your negotiation goes successfully and you and the organisation start on good terms.
Be Likeable and Polite
Being likeable may be an obvious one and seem a little silly, but if the organisation really likes you and wants you to join their team, they will try to be more flexible and accommodating to your requests. This tip ensures you communicate professionally, politely, and with grace to minimise the tension that can come through negotiating. Keep in the back of your mind about asking for things without coming across as greedy or petty.
Overall, approach the whole hiring process with professionalism while letting your personality shine through.
Discuss your Priorities Earlier in the Process
Discussing your priorities and motivations for a new position early in the hiring process (e.g., the interview stage) with the organisation can put you in a better place when the offer comes through. This is also where you can gauge how flexible the company is and whether any major constraints may prevent your request in the negotiation stage.
An example could be that the organisation pays on an award or pay bracket system and that the maximum salary they are able to offer is well below what you're looking for. In this instance, salary negotiation is very unlikely due to the organisation's pay structure, and it might be best to withdraw early in the process to avoid wasting both party's time, resources, and disappointment. However, suppose the organisation could offer other work arrangements outside of the salary, e.g., flexible work arrangement, 9 days fortnight. In that case, the position might still be an option to look at if those other arrangements interest and suit your needs more than the importance of the paycheck.
Avoid Ultimatums
Nobody likes to be told what to do or be backed into a corner to make a decision; the same goes when discussing your offer with the organisation. Avoid using any passive language that leads you down the path to using ultimatums, e.g., "If I don't get $5,000 more in my salary package, I won't take the job, and you'll have to find someone else to fill the role.". Although not receiving the salary you're looking for may prevent you from taking the offer, it's essential to word it correctly and come across as professional and respectful. Instead, this is a perfect opportunity to discuss and reiterate your qualifications and the experience you can offer to the business.
Example: "I would love to join your organisation and become a part of your team. I feel my qualifications and experiences mean I can offer your organisation a lot of my knowledge and assist the business to grow. However, at this point, the role is not feasible for me. I am hoping to negotiate the salary towards $85,000 + Super. I am very serious about this offer and would love to discuss if the salary could be negotiated to the proposed increase".
This wording, although it means the amount is an important term as to whether the person would sign the offer or not, extends the olive branch in a respectful matter and opens the conversation for negotiation while ensuring the organisations know their genuine intention and want to sign and join their organisation. This leads us to the next tip!
Make it Clear you're Serious and they can get you to Join their Team
Making your intentions clear and reassuring the organisation that your overall goal is to join their team allows them more confidence to invest time, energy, and resources into trying to negotiate the terms with you. Recently, there have been lots of scenarios where people have played organisations to get a bigger salary offer and then used that to get a pay rise at their current employer, with no intention to leave and join a new organisation. This can cause organisations to become frustrated if their offers are continuously used to boost ingenuine applications' current salaries. Meaning that it is vitally important that if you're negotiating an offer make sure they know you're serious and ready to agree.
Don't Negotiate for the Sake of it
This tip is really to get you to avoid the negotiating hype and whirlwind that some people jump onto. Try only to negotiate what you genuinely want and need and not negotiate terms that would have no bearing on whether you would take the offer; this will come off just as being difficult and unreasonable, which could add unnecessary tension to the discussion. If you are genuine in your request, they are more likely to be discussed and accommodated.
Negotiate your Job Offer for Success!
Being genuine throughout the process and remembering that negotiations are a two-way street with give-and-take on both ends, the best negotiations result in both parties feeling happy and satisfied with the outcome without tension.
The critical thing to remember is that even if you negotiate like a pro and land the job, keep in mind that the organisation should be somewhere you want to work and give you a positive feeling when going through the hiring process. No matter how good negotiating your offer is, if the organisation or role is not a good fit for you, in the end, the negotiation wasn't worth it. Next time you walk out of an interview, you should feel warm and fuzzy inside and think, "YES! I would love this job!" that's when you know it's a great opportunity for you.
Check out our free downloadable and editable resources HERE, which have been designed to help you prepare for the hiring process and land your next role!
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