You got the job!

They chose you!

Yipeeeeeee!

But, don’t take that sigh of relief just yet, here it comes…

The awkward moment you have to negotiate!

Searching for a job can be stressful, so, in the excitement of getting a job Offer it can be easy to be overzealous in accepting and forgetting what’s important.

Take a moment to think about what you have been offered and what your needs are, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can help you consider what’s important and essential for you.

The way you handle this negotiation is critical to any new role and to your long-term career. Get it right and you will be respected as a professional able to balance the needs of individual and company. Get it wrong and you risk starting on the wrong foot with your new employer — or even jeopardizing the offer.

“A successful negotiation is one where no one gets everything, but everyone gets something.” Chris Hart, a consultant in Spencer Stuart’s Financial Services Practice in London.

After researching  negotiation I put together some important advice and tips to think about when you’ve been offered a job.

• Don’t go in all guns blazing, its’ important to be confident but remember you are building a long-term relationship. Make sure you negotiate with courtesy and respect.

• Decide what your “hierarchy of needs” is, once you know this you’ll be able to have a clear list of what you want and need.

• Don’t let ego cloud your judgment. Have an understanding of 
the standard Salary and package for the position you are being offered. Create a budget for your expenses and then decide what your minimum amount of salary you will accept.

• Negotiate with creativity and flexibility. Do not automatically go straight to salary increase – think about other areas to 
negotiate on as well. Focus on the item that is most important to you. Do not bring a long list of items to negotiate.

• Ask the employer in a tactful way if the salary offer is open to negotiation. It is important that you illustrate you are 
genuinely interested in the position and you have a realistic understanding of the salary and/or benefits. For example: “I am definitely interested in the position, can we talk about the salary?”

• Be open to compromise. If the employer is unable to negotiate at this time, set a definite time in the future to reopen the discussion. At that time, you will have demonstrated your benefits to the organization.

If you find a position you are passionate about don’t be scared to negotiate the offer.

Have you experienced a Job Offer negotiation? Was it successful?

If you can add to our tips above with your experience please leave a comment below.