These are all questions you should have answered before your negotiate with a potential employer.
When heading into any negotiation, be it with a family member, a spouse, a coworker or an employer, it helps to know the difference between what you ‘need’ to get out of the situation, and what you ‘want’ to happen. Needs are non-negotiable, wants are where you can show compromise.
Negotiations are intimidating, but with a bit of preparation and forethought, any negotiation can be rewarding for both parties. To help you on your way to becoming a good negotiator, here are a few simple tips to remember.
Plan Ahead
Plan your execution and know what you want to say, how you want to say it, and when. Think about what the other person wants, and how you can address it without compromising your goals.
Just as you wouldn’t walk into an interview unprepared, or walk into a certification exam without first taking the course to give you the information to succeed, you should not walk into an negotiation unprepared. Your plan should understand that you may not get everything you want, and in fact you likely will not. There should be a clear line on things you are willing to compromise and those you are not.
Get Creative
Get ready to think on your feet. The other party may have an idea you have never considered before. Identify beforehand where you can be flexible and roll with the punches. That being said, don’t be afraid to ask for time to think if something really left-of-center gets thrown in the ring.
Be Perceptive
Be aware of the body language and tone of voice of both yourself and the other person. Are they receiving your ideas well? Ask them questions to keep them engaged and on the conversation path of your choosing. Be aware of your own body language and make sure you aren’t ‘closing down’ the conversation by crossing your arms or appearing distracted. Keep your stature as open and as clear as your voice.
If you see the other person getting agitated, check on your own tone of voice and body language first. Have you started to have an edge in your voice when speaking? If so, try rearranging your body language and softening your tone of voice. This may be more than enough to keep the other person in the right frame of mind to compromise.
Learn to Compromise
Be prepared for compromise. Consider your expectations beforehand and decide what is a ‘need’ and what is a ‘want’. If you are flexible with your wants, you are more likely to get the things you need. Go into any negotiation with a win-win attitude, the other party is there for the same reason you are and it is possible to come to solutions everyone is happy with.
Of course in any negotiation both parties are out to get the best deal for themselves. This doesn’t mean you have to go in with a kill or be killed attitude. If you recognize that the negotiation needs to be beneficial for the other party for it to also result in a deal that is beneficial to you then you will be far better off than trying to only think about what is good for you.
Foster the Relationship
A negotiation is also a chance to foster your rapport with a future boss, coworker or client. Keep in mind that you will need to deal with these people at some point in future so always work towards long-term mutual benefit rather than just instant gratification.
While you know exactly what your wants and needs are, the other person does not. Making them feel that you have sacrificed something that is a need is often possible, and makes the other party feel like they have won a key point. While you should always be honest, your deal breakers don’t always have to be laid out on the table right away.
Honesty is Key
However, you should always be honest about what you are offering. There’s no point telling a lie about your abilities or experience, it’s just so easy to get caught out and losing your integrity can be fatal for your job, and potentially your career. Being an open and honest communication builds trust and trust builds great business relationships.
Honesty is always the best policy, whether it is with your boss, another coworker, or a potential client. Overextending yourself in promises will not only disappoint the other person, but it will also cause you undue stress in your job. Realize that your needs and wants also can include what you can and cannot offer.
BONUS: 8 Tips To Help With Negotiation
Here are eight tips on how to get the best possible result from any negotiation:
1.) Be clear about what you are offering and what you need from the negotiation.
The clear idea of wants and needs on your part is crucial for a successful negotiation. When you are presenting what you need, include what you want as well, that way you will have items on the table you are capable of compromising on right away.
2.) Be consistent with how you present your case, your expectations.
Being inconsistent will not serve you well. It will make the other party think you might be able to be persuaded on all points not just the one you are not being consistent on.
3.) The old adage В “Under promise, Over deliver” В is true: don’t promise anything that you aren’t sure if you can pull off.
The undue stress this will put on you is not worth it, as well as the disappointment it will harbor in the other party. Your career is better furthered by only promising what you’re sure you can do.
4.) Be a good listener. State your case, and let them state theirs. Negotiation is a back and forth process.
Don’t go into a negotiation thinking you will roll over the other person. They too need to get something out of it for it to be a lucrative negotiation for you.
5.) Set guidelines for how decisions made will be implemented and ensure both parties stick to them.
Never leave a negotiation without a way to move forward.
6.) Ask questions and find out as much information as you can. This is your chance to get specifics and make sure you write everything down. Anything that is decided should be in writing.
If it is not in writing it is not an agreement!
7.) Keep emotion out of your negotiation and stick to the plan. Don’t take it personally if it doesn’t go your way. You will always live to negotiate another day!
Business is business as they say. Just because someone walks away from a negotiation doesn’t mean they don’t like you on a personal level or you’ve done something horribly wrong. They just may not be in a place to make a deal, and sometimes that is how a negotiation ends.
8.) Take a deep breath, prepare yourself and meet the negotiation head on: being confident is half the battle won.
If you are unsure of yourself people can sense that. If you are confident in what you can do and what you are offering, most people will be much more inclined to work with you.
Before You Negotiate, Educate
CCI Training Center has locations in Dallas-Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas. We are a vocational school committed to providing the best education possible to adult learners who want to change careers or further their current careers with certifications needed to advance. We offer classes year round, so there is always a class starting soon in all areas of learning.
Our instructors have all worked in (or are still working in) the industry of their expertise. They offer a wealth of information to our students beyond just what the curriculum is in their course. CCI Training Center goes further for our students as well. We not only offer courses to help further your career (or start your new one), but we have a great deal of other services offered to help our students obtain employment.
If you are unsure of exactly what you want to do, before you start classes you can take our career assessments to see what industries you might be the most successful in. We offer resume building assistance as well as interview preparation. We will make sure you are capable of not only doing the job but negotiating to get the best job possible.
If you are interested in taking courses at CCI Training Center fill out the form on the side or call our offices today!
