Negotiation is an art. You can achieve a desired outcome and have a positive experience through effective negotiation. It is very important to create a win-win situation during the negotiation process because it is the beginning of a lasting relationship between you and your employer. The following steps are designed to help you create this win-win situation.

If you already have a set salary in mind for a new position and you are not flexible, the following steps are unnecessary. It is important to alert the prospective employer’s HR representative of your salary requirements prior to going into any interview process.

It is important to be open to entering into negotiations with a prospective employer.

1. Explain CLEARLY your total compensation package to your prospective employer or representative/recruiter.
   For example:
   • Base Salary (75k) + Paid Overtime (approximately 10hrs/week) + Bonus (10-15%, last year = 9k) + Stock Options or Employer Retirement Contribution (6%/year) etc.
2. Do NOT exaggerate your compensation.
   • You lose credibility and leverage to negotiate if you do not provide precise information. Also, most employers require proof of compensation and will rescind job offers if the proof does not match the information you provided them
3. Know the salary range of the position you are applying for before getting to the negotiating stage.
4. Avoid giving the prospective employer a specific desired salary in the beginning of the interview process.
   • Disclose your current compensation.
   • Provide a desired salary range.
   • Make it clear that you are open to a realistic increase in salary for the right opportunity. It is important to let the employer know that you are more interested in the position than the salary.
5. Make sure to CLEARLY understand the scope of the job responsibilities before you start negotiating.
   For example:
   • Number of people you will be managing
   • On-call 24/7
   • Rotating shifts
   • Amount of travel
   • Responsibility for multiple or remote locations
   • Dramatic increase or change in responsibility in the near future
6. Do not react positively or negatively to an initial offer regardless of the number.
7. Negotiate your base salary first.
   • Base salary will matter the most when you are being considered for a raise, promotion, or applying for a new job, etc.
8. Negotiate the perks last, including:
   • Bonus structure
   • Evaluation date
   • Vacation
   • Sign-on bonus
   • Stock options
9. Get a detailed written commitment for compensation and other perks from the prospective employer/your representative before you accept the negotiated salary offer.
10. Do NOT use a counter-offer to renegotiate the offer you already accepted.
    • Let your new employer know that your current company may make a counter-offer. Negotiate a salary that will satisfy you regardless of what your current company counters with. A counter-offer may cloud your judgment about the actual job responsibilities.
11. Do NOT entertain a counter-offer just for more money.
    • Pitting one offer against the other will tell both employers that you cannot be trusted and will lead to a negative reputation and false relationship.
12. It is always advised to have a recruiter/representative negotiate with a prospective employer.
    • Recruiters specialize in negotiation and can keep you out of the uncomfortable negotiation process.
    • Recruiters have a vested interest in getting you the best package that they can; the more money you make, the more money they make!