Arbitration & Mediation

Negotiate a Raise in this Economy? Maybe That's Not What You Really Want

By Victoria Pynchon

Check out reporter Kevin Fogarty's article How to Turn a Job Offer into a Raise over at The Ladders, an Executive Search company for the six-figure set.  Kevin recently interviewed me about negotiation strategies with a current employer when an eager new suitor comes a'calling.  I have to admit that I didn't suggest hooking up with Mr. Greener Grass before ascertaining whether you could negotiate your dream job just where you are.  An excerpt from the article below; full text at the link above.

Before you ask a current employer or future employer to entertain a competitive offer, you should sit down and figure out what exactly you're hoping to gain or change through negotiations.

 What's at the top of the list? 'The answer to that, by the way, is never, ever, ever, ‘more money,' ' Pynchon said. 'More often it's a change in the associates you work with, the kinds of projects you work on or your career path. When you make a list of things to negotiate, don't go in thinking about the money; list the other things first.'

Not only will your goal in the negotiation be one that's more likely to make you happier and more effective in your job, a list of other potential changes gives your boss things to take off the table without stopping the conversation completely.

'Every piece of research has shown that the more you give up in a negotiation, the happier your negotiating partner is,' Pynchon said. 'So having some things you can give up without too much pain will do a lot to help maintain that relationship.'

Be prepared for a conversation that may not go your way, however, and don't invest so much of your ego in the numbers that you end up declining the offer out of spite.

Finally, don't forget that if you're doing well in your current position, your security might be more valuable than an incremental increase in compensation. 'It's almost always the case that you can (perform) better in a current job than a new one, anyway, so most of the time it's smarter not to take the other offer,' Pynchon said. 'But it's hard for overachievers to say ‘no' to another $100,000.'

Full post as published by Settle It Now Negotiation Blog on January 12, 2010 (boomark / email).