Securing a job offer is a major triumph in a competitive job market. The real challenge, however, is negotiating the offer strategically to ensure an agreeable result. When done correctly, the outcome changes for the better, and so does your future.
Are you hoping for a higher salary, increased benefits, or a different job title? Then you are in the right place right now because I will unveil the art of the job offer dance through an encore negotiation script that helps you navigate the twists and turns of securing your dream job on your terms.
Confidence, preparation, and knowledge of salaries in your profession will win you a successful job negotiation script.
Why a Script?
You may be wondering why you even need a script in the first place. After all, you know what you will and will not settle for, so why not just send the employer a quick and simple email stating what you want and call it a day?
Negotiating a job offer can be stressful and intimidating. This is why it is important to create a script to help you avoid saying the wrong things at the wrong time and ensure your core points are understood when you negotiate your objectives. Throughout the negotiation, you should only share information that benefits you while maintaining honesty; scripts are the best way to achieve that.
With that in mind, are there any tips we should know when writing a script?
Preparation
After being offered a position, take some time to think about the entire package before making a decision. Employers expect this and will respect you for ensuring it is the “right” fit.
Remember, salary is not the only option open to negotiation. Job title, benefits, vacation time, and flexible working hours are just a few of an exhaustive list of negotiability options. For a more detailed list of what things are negotiable and which items are not, read my article “Seal the Deal: Negotiate Job Offer by Email.”
Also, consider your experience level, role, and company size when debating a job offer. These areas could pose some limits on how much leverage you have in your negotiation. For example, a small company may not have the budget a larger company would have, limiting their flexibility in negotiating your salary.
Throughout the hiring process, always show great passion for the company and the job you are interviewing for. This includes the negotiation stage. You want to remain professional, polite, respectful, and passionate throughout the process.
Confidence
Always emphasize how your skills and talents will be beneficial to the employer. Provide specific examples and demonstrate the positive results created by your abilities in your previous work history. For example, use the STAR method to illustrate your point.
Research the Salary Range for the Job
Make sure you are aware of industry salary trends. After your interview, you should understand your role and what will be expected of you. Different industries but the same position may vary in salary, so become familiar with your field. Glassdoor or Fishbowl can give you an idea of what it’s like to work for most companies, including salaries, benefits, and culture. Also, if the company has already presented you with the salary range, make sure you stay within that range when negotiating.
The Four Components of a Good Script
- Objectives – You want to be clear on what you are asking the employer to negotiate by building a rapport with the hiring authority. Begin by asking some probing questions to understand what they are open to and how much they really want you to join them.
- Questions for Negotiation – Begin crafting your questions for negotiation. For example, if you want to renegotiate the salary, say things like:
How did the interview team think my interview went? OR
I recently read about the California Equity Pay Act. Would you please be able to share the compensation range for this role?
- Managing pushback – This is where you really want to prepare yourself. Nerves may set in, and you lose your thought or begin to back down. This is where your script is worth its weight in gold!
For example, say you have two job offers, one higher than the other. You ask the recruiter if they could match your other offer, and they say “no.” You ask if there are any times when the company has offered more. The recruiter says “yes,” but it is rare, and he simply cannot do it for you. You then ask the recruiter if they could at least take the higher salary back to the hiring team to see what they can do. The recruiter asks if you will sign if they match the salary, and you say, “Yes!”
- Plan of Closure – The script should include a closure plan. What will the next steps be? What to do if the discussion does not go your way or if it does. Will the recruiter get back to you, and will you need time to review the counteroffer?
Negotiation Tactics
Scriptwriting and negotiating require four key negotiation tactics. These techniques represent the tactical execution of the strategy and structure discussed above.
- Rapport Building – It is ALWAYS essential to build a rapport with the recruiter. They are the mediator between you and the compensation team, so get into their “good graces from the get-go.”
- Silence is Golden – We all know how awkward silence can be. However, allow the recruiter to talk rather than you trying to say something. Silence can be a powerful tool. In about 20% of cases, recruiters have gone so far as to start self-negotiating during periods of awkward silence.
- Utilize how-based questions – There are many ways to say “no.” When negotiating a job offer, say “no” the correct way to not offend or close the door.
For instance, if $150,000 were offered to you for your salary, ask a how-based question in response. Reply with something like this: How could I accept this offer when I am offered $200,000 from X company? You don’t want to come across as confrontational.
This technique also works in deflecting questions. The recruiter may ask how much you want to earn. You can respond by saying, “How can I answer that because you don’t know your market value for this position yet.”
- Mirroring – To encourage further explanation from your recruiter, you repeat a portion of their last statement. This is called mirroring. For example, the recruiter may say, “You are a great fit.” You, in turn, can reply, “A great fit?” This will typically cause the recruiter to elaborate, which you may be able to use to your advantage later.
At the core of a good negotiation is balancing what we want to emphasize to the recruiter and what we do not want to reveal.
I should mention that a script can be written and used for a phone or email exchange. There are pros and cons to both.
Pros of Email Negotiations
- It gives you more time to present your points succinctly in a less threatening environment.
- Your tone will be less apparent; however, some verbiage could be more transparent.
- You have a record of what transpired.
Cons to Email Negotiations
- Fewer chances to gather information with email. What do I mean by that? In emails, a recruiter can avoid our questions much more easily than we can avoid theirs.
- Harder to build a rapport with the hiring manager through email.
- Negotiating through email takes longer and creates a break in communication.
- Harder for you to deflect questions. If you avoid answering a question they ask you, they know it! A recruiter can take time crafting an answer, just like you can.
- They may ask for competing offers in writing.
- With email, recruiters are much more likely to avoid negotiations entirely.
Pros of Phone Negotiations
- You can ask questions live with immediate answers.
- A rapport can be built with the recruiter much more easily by phone.
- You can have more flexibility through the jargon, the information you highlight, the tone, and the ability to redirect the conversation.
Cons to Phone Negotiations
- More pressure to perform well. Possibility of saying the wrong thing. Nerves.
- Hard to read body language over the phone
- Harder to keep track of and remember all the details discussed
Worth Mentioning
Negotiating via a call can change your compensation by more than $100k annually for senior candidates. Through trial and error, it has been discovered that negotiating over calls typically results in ~40% better outcomes.
That’s why you need to plan out the strategy and potential flows of each call or email in advance, as well as draw up scripts with the exact phrasing and responses you need, especially when competing opportunities are raised.
Conclusion
Finally, maneuvering job offer negotiations can seem daunting, but if you have a script prepared and a strategic mindset, you can steer the conversation to your advantage.
Negotiating is more than money. It’s about asserting your worth and creating an agreement that sets the stage for a successful and fulfilling future.
Armed with your script and confident enough to seize the opportunity, go forth and shape your professional future according to your terms. Have fun!
