4 ms·

We are all* bad at bad at negotiating when we desperately need a job, this is one of the biggest reasons I suggest people look for a different job while they're

We are all* bad at bad at negotiating when we desperately need a job, this is one of the biggest reasons I suggest people look for a different job while they're still employed, if they have that luxery. Job hunting while you don't need to helps you overlook those places where you know you might not be a good fit for whatever reason, and interviewing when you don't need to helps you build your negotiating skills. I got my current job while happily employed at my last one, the only reason I applied was quite literally for the interviewing experience. But I liked what I saw, they agreed to a salary that I decided ahead of time was the bar that had to be met to be seriously considered as a potential new job, so I said yes and so did they. 2 years later, I'm loving my job, my team, and my management team. Job hunt while you don't need to. How do I know I'm making market rate? I check glass for periodically and share salary info with colleagues who reciprocate. * we aren't all bad at negotiating but enough of us are that I think its a safe generalization here.

fsk 11y ago
That happened to me today. They asked me my rate. I said $X. They said they could offer $X-20%. I declined the interview. (I was getting bad vibes for other reasons, so I don't feel bad.) If I was unemployed, I might have considered $X-20%. Since I have a job, there's no reason to accept a job for a lower salary than I'm getting now, especially when the interviewer is being a jerk. (If it seemed like an awesome opportunity, I'd consider equal or slightly less. This was not one of those, it was a contracting company looking for a warm body RIGHT NOW to fill a client need.) One other lesson I've learned that's surprising: You would think that in a job where you're underpaid, you'll be appreciated, and in job where you're paid well, you'll be abused more. My experience has been the opposite. In the jobs where I was paid well, it was a more pleasant experience than in the jobs where I was underpaid. In business, money equals respect, so if you're underpaid, that means they don't respect you.
alwaysdoit 11y ago
This is known as the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, or BATNA, and it's a pretty helpful concept: the better your next best option is, the better position you will be in to negotiate.

fsk 11y ago

That happened to me today. They asked me my rate. I said $X. They said they could offer $X-20%. I declined the interview. (I was getting bad vibes for other reasons, so I don't feel bad.) If I was unemployed, I might have considered $X-20%. Since I have a job, there's no reason to accept a job for a lower salary than I'm getting now, especially when the interviewer is being a jerk. (If it seemed like an awesome opportunity, I'd consider equal or slightly less. This was not one of those, it was a contracting company looking for a warm body RIGHT NOW to fill a client need.) One other lesson I've learned that's surprising: You would think that in a job where you're underpaid, you'll be appreciated, and in job where you're paid well, you'll be abused more. My experience has been the opposite. In the jobs where I was paid well, it was a more pleasant experience than in the jobs where I was underpaid. In business, money equals respect, so if you're underpaid, that means they don't respect you.

alwaysdoit 11y ago

This is known as the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, or BATNA, and it's a pretty helpful concept: the better your next best option is, the better position you will be in to negotiate.