Having the Negotiation Conversation

- Hello, my name is Mary Gray Jacobson with the Career Management Center at Fuqua. Today, we're going to talk about how to approach the tricky subject of actually having a negotiation conversation. When you're ready to negotiate, whether for a job offer or for a new salary or a promotion, first, send a brief email to arrange for a phone call. Often with a job offer, you'll get an email with the offer and an invitation to email back with questions. If possible, always try to send an email asking for a phone call. It's much easier for someone to say no in an email rather than over the phone. When negotiating for advancement within your company, you can consider setting up a face-to-face meeting with a key decision maker, if possible. Open with curiosity. Tell them you have a few questions and ask them to discuss. Don't immediately say, "I thought the salary would be this. Why isn't it? " (buzzer ringing) Instead, lead with something like, "Hey, I'm curious about some aspects of the offer, and have some questions about what's open for discussion. " If they tell you no, (buzzer ringing) try to understand underlying reasons and ask some more questions. Be prepared to discuss your interests. Bring up all your important questions in the same conversation, and be prepared to share what is most important to you. Pause and listen. There is a lot of power in the quiet time. Some of that most powerful negotiation work is done in that moment of silence. Also, negotiations can produce anxiety. Pause and take your time speaking and answering questions. Never make decisions in the moment. Understand the timeline for yourself and the company. Follow up with an email about what you've discussed, and allow yourself time to reflect on the conversation. Be prepared that you might not be speaking with the person who makes the decision about compensation. So they might not even be able to give you the answer in the moment. In that scenario, it might be that they told you they can give you something, but HR says no. So, if it's not in their ultimate decision, they are in good faith trying to make the decision that is in your best interest. If they say they can't do it, ask for the underlying reason and backtrack that way. Remember, when you're on the call, don't jump right in. Start with something positive. You can talk about something that excites you about the role or the value you've already added in your current role. Then ask the question and have the discussion. Finally, wrap up with respect, letting them know you appreciate the time to help clarify and look forward to considering the opportunity. And if you get the core things you asked for, stop asking. You don't want to ruin an offer by sounding rude rather than asking respectfully. You want them to appreciate that you have the negotiation skill and that you are really excited to work at the company. Thanks for watching. If you have any questions about this material or any of our other videos, please reach out to a member of your CMC team.