How to Make Your Next Interview Negotiation Look Easy

Visualize this scene with me please:

Recruiter: Now that we are through with this interview, let us now go to the next stage which is negotiation of salary and other emoluments. Supposing we have decided to offer you this appointment, what will you be willing to take as your salary?

Prospective Employee: I am sure the organization has a predetermined salary and emoluments it wants to offer the successful applicant and whatever it is, is okay by me.

Recruiter: Are you sure?

Prospective Employee: Okay, whatever it is you are giving the last occupant of the vacant position will be okay by me.

Scenes like the one above is not uncommon to most interview negotiations. Most job seekers and prospective employees always come stuck when it comes to interview negotiations. They are therefore almost always lost when it comes to such negotiations. To the recruiter however, this is indicative of one thing and that is:

This prospective employee is unsure of himself or herself, unaware of his or her worth and consequently the value to the prospective employer!!!

Therefore as a prospective employee, you must have successfully determined your worth before the interview exercise based on the value /benefit the prospective employer stands to gain from accessing your service. This is however done deliberately and not arbitrarily. 

By the way why and when do we then negotiate?

The aim of negotiation is to reach agreements without bringing about barriers to future communications between the parties involved in the negotiation. The prospective employee and prospective employer have different needs, wants and interests which they want satisfied. However they need one another to satisfy each other’s needs and wants. To do this, they are bound to reach agreements in such a way that it will not affect their future communications. To do this therefore they have to negotiate.

You are however in a position to negotiate when the other party recognizes the value you possess or when you have something of value which the other party is interested in having. For example you are in a position to negotiate successfully during an interview when a potential employer understands your value to his organization. During your interview, you should only negotiate pay and other benefits after a job offer is made. If a potential employer wants to discuss pay expectations or other benefits before extending an offer, ask to discuss money after you and the employer have agreed that you are a match or fit for his organization. Suggest that if you both find that you are qualified to work together, you can agree on a salary then. 

You see all negotiations (whether interview, contract, diplomatic or trade) follows some principles and it is these principles when applied which determines the success or otherwise. For our purpose in this discourse however, the principles stated below would be most relevant. 

1.       You need to recognize that you are negotiating: Most job seekers do not realize that they are negotiating during interviews until it is too late. For example when you are negotiating during a job interview you must remember to ask questions. Never assume that the terms of the job on offer will be favorable to you. Often times, if you do not ask you will not get. Most employers start with a lower offer and expect people to negotiate. You should not take things for granted. Never assume that your expectations will be provided.

2.      Recognize that negotiation can be learned: Negotiating is something that can be learned and it is something for which there are resources. It is a skill that can be acquired through learning. We negotiate in our day to day activities; therefore it is something we should really not fret about. In our daily life the principles of negotiation are in play and therefore important in our communication with fellow human beings. Therefore to be good in the art of negotiation, you will have to learn the ropes and consult available resources. To be adept in interview negotiation, there are certain skills you need to acquire. These include verbal communication, active listening, reflection/clarification/summary, problem analysis/solving, decision making, emotional control and interpersonal skills.

3.      Building of relationship is the hallmark of any negotiation: Negotiation is not only about transactions but also about building relationships. You have to remember that in most circumstances, you are negotiating a relationship, not just a transaction. For example, when you are negotiating an employment contract to join a company, you are not just trying to get the best deal for yourself but  you also want the best deal for the company, which will soon be your company too.

4.     Negotiation requires adequate preparation: You must take time to prepare adequately well before any interview negotiation. You need to do your homework extremely well. You must start with assessing your own goals. You should never go with a specific demand to any negotiation. You have to be open and flexible when going into any negotiation. You need to beware of assumptions and biases, which often become self-fulfilling. Therefore you must be careful of what you wish for during the negotiation.

5.      Researching a prospective employer before any negotiation is essential: Find out all you can about a prospective employer. When negotiating with a company, read everything on its Web site and ask to have any marketing literature or relevant handouts about the company sent to you in advance. Check to see if any of the staff published articles or reports. This will give you a hint about their salary administration.

6.      You must consider several alternatives available to you:  You must go into negotiations knowing what alternatives are available to you. A term coined for this concept is your BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement). Your BATNA is the option you will take if no agreement can be reached. When negotiating an employment contract for instance, your BATNA might be an offer from another company. Knowing your BATNA beforehand protects you from accepting a poor offer and puts you in a stronger negotiating position. Considering other alternatives allows you to breadth easy rather than being nervous during a negotiation.

7.      Unbundle the items to be negotiated upon: Before going for any negotiation, you need to break the agreement to be negotiated into small parts. In dealing with an employment contract, for instance, you can break “compensation” down into its smallest components, such as salary, health benefits, moving costs, bonuses, reimbursed expenses such as a car allowance or cell phone, and so on. For example salary may or may not be negotiable, but even if it isn't, items such as housing allowance, transport allowance and an education allowance can often compensate for a slightly lower salary.

8.     You must anticipate the employer’s needs and wants: You should always think about what the other party's top issues are likely to be. This will likely help you to develop strategies to negotiate your position. Estimate the other party's probable limits in reaching a compromise. Consider what the recruiter’s BATNA is likely to be and what is likely to be his or her next best choice.  

9.      Establish your own bargaining range: Identify objectives for each of the issues you have unbundled, setting an optimum, minimum, and target goal. The minimum is the point at which you would walk away from the offer if the prospective employer can't meet your request. The optimum is your starting point—the best deal, one you see as ideal but something that is not outrageous. The target is the point where you would like to end up after the negotiations.

10.   Identify your leveraging points and what items you can trade off: You have to determine the area most important to you in the contract. Use those that you do not care much about as leverage in negotiating to achieve your priorities. Also, identify the attributes you bring to the table. For example, in joining a company, you may have special training that the company needs or you may be fluent in a particular language spoken by a large percentage of its customers. Before you go into negotiation, reflect on what the other party is looking for and what you can give up. There is nothing for something, only something for something. Identify what it is you are prepared to trade off to get what you want. 

Note that principles do not change. Therefore these principles will always be there. They are supposed to serve as guides towards the achievement of your goal which in this case is the successful negotiation of your employment contract and of course your biggest paycheck. One that is concluded to your satisfaction and benefit and of course the benefit of the prospective employer. Finally, you should also note that the theory of negotiations hinges on the concept of needs. Therefore before setting out your proposals, you should consider the employer’s needs from the negotiation. You have to make an offer that is too good to refuse and creates a ‘win-win’ situation for both parties.

I believe that if you use these principles consistently enough you will always have a fruitful interview negotiation. I have used them for years and they have worked for me. I am positive they will for you too.