Negotiating with an employer has always been a touchy subject. Some fine lines can’t be crossed, and others could be pushed to the limit to get more from the deal.
Negotiating could be considered an art, with professional negotiators receiving many hours of training to perfect the process. Ordinary people don’t always have the luxury of waiting for the experience, and the skill needs to be applied immediately. Learning a few trade tricks could help make it a lot easier.
Employers could be intimidating, and the exercise may seem daunting, but negotiating for better employment terms has a few basic steps:
Be Prepared For The Conversation
Having tough conversations is never easy, but being prepared for them may ease some of their anxiety and stress.
Write out every possible scenario, repeat the speech repeatedly to yourself, role-play with a family member or friend, and make sure that all the possible angles of the conversation are explored.
Preparing for a negotiation is imperative for its success.
Look The Part
Find an outfit that gives you the confidence to face the discussions head-on. Having more confidence adds to the allure of why your requests should be granted.
When negotiating, especially for better employment terms, employers may take your requests more seriously when dressing smart.
Enter The Negotiations Openly
Being open and honest in any conversation would ensure the negotiations stay on track. Voicing your concerns and stating the precise reasons for your employer to reconsider their terms of employment would show the employer you mean business.
Management would not have all day to listen to half-baked stories and flaky reasons for re-evaluating their team members’ working conditions.
Be to the point when addressing the issues.
Be Courteous and Friendly
This should be self-evident. Nobody wants to negotiate with a closed-off, rude, and abrupt person. Mind your manners when addressing management, and have a friendly demeanour when entering conversations.
Friendliness could pave the way for proper negotiations that may end with everyone leaving the meeting happy and satisfied.
Upsell Skills Tactfully
Explain to management why they should reconsider employment terms without bragging and sounding like you’re blowing your own horn. Employers will always have a standard title, salary, and performance parameters for a specific position, but sometimes, it may be necessary to challenge these tactfully.
It may be possible that a candidate has a lot more experience and additional qualifications than the standard set of requirements considers. In this case, you could mention it during the negotiations.
Answer Questions Concisely
During the negotiation process, management could have a few questions. Maintain your composure and stay calm while answering the questions professionally and to the best of your abilities.
Both parties are naturally inclined to state their side of the case during negotiations, and handling this with poise may give an excellent impression to management.
Avoid Ultimatums
Never make the other party feel like they’re in a corner. Phrase the request so that management will have to grant it, or else it will never end on a good note.
Ultimatums in negotiations may seem to threaten the person. The main idea of negotiating is for both parties to reach a peaceful agreement. Ultimatums are thus very counterproductive to the process.
Take Notes Of What Was Said
During stressful situations, it could be easy to forget your discussions. Taking notes of the main issues could help keep all the employer’s feedback at hand.
Sometimes, employers may want to consider your request and give feedback later, and having reliable notes to fall back on would serve as a great reminder.
End The Meeting On A Friendly Note
Even if the answer was no, keep working relationships intact and courteous. Thank the other party for their time, shake hands, and leave the meeting room smiling.
Ending a negotiation in this way may open the door to more discussions in the future, and it shows a strong character that could sway the employer to be more in your favour.
In Conclusion
Negotiations of any nature can cause a lot of stress. Speaking to management about employment terms requires a diplomatic approach, with friendliness as an undertone.
There is a considerable difference between what you desire and what you deserve, and this fine line is difficult to negotiate when inexperienced. With the helpful tips listed here, it may be easier to tackle the situation and have yourself heard.
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Samantha is an HR practitioner who has worked with several companies to help them improve their HR practices. Samantha has gained decades of experience in handling all HR facets that include managerial relations, labour relations, training and development, recruitment, and compensation and benefits.
When Samantha is not busy at work, she writes articles about the importance of effective HR practices and why startups should always prioritize this area of the business.