Negotiating
Projected Time
60 - 80 minutes total
- 20-30 min - Lesson Slideshow
- 10 min - Role Play
- 30 min - Independent Practice
Prerequisites
Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Know what to avoid while negotiating
- Understand why negotiating makes a difference
- Know negotiable topics besides base salary
- Have a toolkit of things to say to recruiters
Specific Things to Learn
- Why You Should Negotiate
- Do Your Research
- Managing The Process & Recruiters
- Offer Letters Demystified
- Role-playing!
Motivation
- Small salary differences result in dramatic pay gaps over time
- Negotiating is a tool that can be applied to career growth opportunities: - Higher visibility projects - Skills training - Raises/Promotions
- This conversation will likely only be 3-10 minutes, and you could get thousands more!
Common Mistakes / Misconceptions
I’m afraid they will feel negatively towards me, or rescind the offer if I ask for too much.
- Recruiters are expecting this conversation, and you have almost nothing to lose if you are reasonable and polite. In the VERY UNLIKELY case that they do rescind the offer, this is a very big RED FLAG for that company, and you are probably better off not working there.
Negotiation “DO-NOT-DO” List:
- Give a salary expectation number
- Give up leverage (e.g. expressing positivity about the number offered)
- Accept offer right away
Lesson
Review the lesson slideshow.
Independent Practice
Look over the resources on the Supplemental Resources section for 30 minutes. Watch videos at a higher speed if possible.
Check for Understanding
Form small groups and discuss the following questions:
- What shouldn’t you do when negotiating with a potential employer? For each answer you provide explain why it is inappropriate to discuss during a negotiation.
- Explain why negotating actually makes a difference.
- What are some topics other than salary ranges that you can talk about with a potential employer during negotiation?
- List some common topics you should always bring up to recruiters and HR employees.
Role Playing
- Split into pairs. What month were you born? The partner born later in the year will be the employer, and the partner born in the earlier month will be the interviewee. Using the info on the “Role Playing” slide, and practice your negotiating skills.
- After 5 minutes, find another pair, and have the interviewees swap places. Now that you have a new partner, switch roles so everyone has a chance to be the employer for 5 min and the interviewee for 5 min.
Supplemental Resources