HOW TO: Negotiate for Happiness

Your eyes meet across the desk. Sweat beads slowly form across your brow, but you don’t dare move and risk losing eye contact. You’ve made your statement and now sit in anxious silence, waiting to see if they accept – knowing the first person to mutter even the most incoherent sound will give up his/her position.

Okay, maybe most salary negotiations aren’t this intense, but when your living is on the line, it just might feel this way.

As a past insurance claims examiner, I was taught some of the “finer points” of negotiation: don’t talk first, silence is a bargaining tool, put a deadline on negotiations to move the process forward. However, as I’ve embarked on my latest job search, I’ve found these tactics to be outdated and irrelevant for today’s business world, especially when it comes to salary negotiations. I realize that the job market isn’t what it used to be, but as the job offers have started to come in, I’ve started to wonder how much room there actually is for negotiation in today’s market and what the best way is to determine how much “wiggle room” I have when it comes to compensation.

I’ve assumed some of the basic negotiation tenants, i.e. be flexible, don’t get emotional, know the averages for your industry and geographic area, but these were the tips I found to be the most helpful:

1. Let the employer bring up money first: allowing them to bring up the topic lets you know they are interested in you, and by the time it is brought up, you can feel more confident in negotiations knowing you have secured the job.
2. Consider the benefits package as a whole and not just the salary number: bringing home the bacon to pay the bills is critical, but you’d be surprised how much you’ll miss a 401K or health insurance if they aren’t available.
3. Understand what skills and achievements make you unique: employers will pay more for candidates with one-of-a-kind or in-demand skill sets, so make sure you highlight these professional qualities and bring quantifiable results to show how this can benefit their company.
4. Be comfortable with the process and the outcome: if you feel like you’ve been taken advantage of or are uncomfortable with the company’s tactics, there is a high probability that you won’t enjoy the culture or your co-workers, and there is no reason to set yourself up for failure right from the start.
5. Prepare yourself to negotiate for happiness: there are a number of factors – both monetary and lifestyle – that you should consider when negotiating for a job. Whether that is a salary number, flexible hours or telecommuting options, figure out your ideal work parameters before sitting down and be honest and flexible during negotiations.