Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring: Take Charge of Your Career, Find a Job You Love, and Earn What You Deserve

Chapter 68. Everything Is Negotiable—Yes, Everything

Sometimes, people get in to a locked mindset about negotiating, with all sorts of assumptions, preconceived notions, and myths. This is even more true in tough economic times, when no one's hiring. The truth is that everything is always negotiable.

Note

The truth is that everything is always negotiable.

Let's review how negotiating works from the other side of the desk. There are four things I guarantee you, from all my years of experience in career coaching:

1. The first salary offer the employer makes is the lowest offer they can possibly utter without feeling completely embarrassed.

2. The employer is fully expecting you to negotiate, and will think twice about making you an offer if you don't know how to play the game of negotiation.

3. About 80 percent of the outcome of your negotiation will be determined by your attitude and assumptions.

4. You can learn to negotiate compensation effectively. You just need to learna specific set of behaviors and phrases.

Note

The first salary offer the employer makes is the lowest offer they can possibly utterwithout feeling completely embarrassed.

Let's outline all the items you might consider negotiating for:

• Salary (always finalize this first)

• Job title

• Job responsibilities

• Insurance (life, medical, dental, disability)

• Vacation time

• Office location

• Retirement plans

• Relocation assistance

• Training/professional development allowances

• Workspace

• Bonuses (sign-on and performance)

• Commission rates

• Expense accounts

• Memberships ...