Problem-Solving is Key in Salary Negotiations

Posted on | April 24, 2009 |

Are you looking for a job or wondering what – if any – raise to expect this year? Here are a couple suggestions for negotiating your salary and other terms of employment, especially in this tough economic environment.

Assuming your employer or potential employer will reciprocate, Problem-Solving Strategies typically work best in negotiating compensation.

What does this mean?

One, be relatively open about sharing information, especially about your short and long-term interests. Two, be creative in looking for non-financial and/or non-traditional ways to get compensated. Three, consider mentioning your alternatives (or Plan Bs) to doing a deal with your boss or your potential employer, but don’t use them as a hammer. Four, emphasize independent standards like the market rate for your position or precedent (what raise you got last year) to support your request. Five, don’t be really aggressive in your offer-concession strategy and how much you request. And six, be fairly open about raising the items you want to include on the agenda (which should include non-financial as well as financial issues).

Stylistically, during the negotiation, stay cool, calm and respectful. Avoid anger, threats, warnings, games, direct confrontation and extreme offers unsupported by facts and standards.

Finally, keep in mind it is more difficult to say no to someone’s face than in writing or on the phone.

Of course, feel free to sign up for a 30-day free trial of ExpertNegotiator and put together a strategic negotiation plan if you have an upcoming salary negotiation. That, after all, is the most effective way to address all these issues in a comprehensive and strategic fashion.

And one more benefit of ExpertNegotiator – it includes my entire book in an online searchable format. And I have a full chapter in there on Salary Negotiations.

Marty Latz is the founder of Latz Negotiation Institute, a national negotiation training and consulting company, and ExpertNegotiator, a Web-based software company that helps managers and negotiators more effectively negotiate and implement best practices based on the experts’ proven research. He is also the author of Gain the Edge: Negotiating to Get What You Want. He can be reached at 480-951-3222 or Latz@ExpertNegotiator.com.

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