This is a short video about what to consider when you get a job offer.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1300 episodes and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice.” He is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter answers a question from someone where they are about to receive a job offer from a firm but prefer another job at that same firm.
The question is "should/can I ask for another position at the company during my final interview process upon a job offer?"
The language isn't great, but it translates into he's about to get a job offer or she's about to get a job offer and it seems like they're not happy with this job and they want to find out if they can ask about another job.
My first reaction is you're kidding, right? How many interviews have you gone through and how many people's time have you wasted interviewing for a job. you're not interested in?
Now, some people have been coached particularly very junior ones, into thinking that what they should be doing is get the offer and then they can finagle things. If I were this employer, I would rescind any offer I've made or extended because you're obviously not interested in the job. If you've gone through two, three, four, five interviews, and now you want to talk about another job, why would they make you an offer for this job?
All they would do is say, "Stop! Let's evaluate you for this other job." They would put another people into play and they are going to have a hard time trusting you because, the reality is, you haven't been trustworthy. They've been very clear about what they're trying to fill and you haven't been trustworthy about what you're looking for. And now you pull this out last minute.
So, that's the fact. I hope you get clean about this with yourself. And if you're not interested in this, stop the process and say, " before you extend an offer to me, I'd rather interview for another position."
They may say, "that's great. Have a great day and a good life," but it's better than joining a firm and doing the job that she don't want.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1300 episodes and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice.” He is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I
Job Search Radio
function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
Problems” for Kindle on Amazon and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.” If you are starting your search, order, “Get
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
Here's the question: Can I asked to be a job candidate again for a company to whom I told I was taking another offer? The language is a little quirky. I'm going to translate it.
Apparently this person received an offer or backed out of an interview cycle with a firm, saying that he is gotten another offer. Apparently, they decide to turn down that offer , and now is wondering whether or not he or she can go back and talk to that firm about a job.
The answer is, "Sure." There is no taboo about this except the awkwardness that you may feel about going back and saying this.
In approaching them again, recognize that on their side they are going to have questions. What happened? Why did it happen? They're going to wonder if you received an offer and turned it down. What was wrong with that offer… Things along those lines. They're going to wonder if they're going to be similarities that might cause you to turn down their offer. They're going to want to see if you are logical. They going to wonder if there is a practical reason why you did this. Whether you are sincere. Whether you can express yourself well about this in a way that is convincing.
Part of your responsibility here is to tie it into their circumstances. "I was really excited about this job. I received an offer and was ready to say yes and then something came to my attention about the firm (or about the hiring manager) that gave me cause for pause. " For example, the offer wasn't what I was led to believe it would be is a reason that would be valid.
"I was led to believe will be for such and such amount. It was for significantly less." You get you get the idea.
"So what is it that you're looking from us in the way of compensation?"
" For this job. I was looking for such and such. They offered me $30,000 less and I thought it was appropriate to turn that down." You get the idea.
They're going to want to explore the circumstances that caused that offer to go away or be turned down and then you're going to be looking to switch the conversation at a particular point in talking about their job, get into an evaluation process with them.
They may continue with you by saying, "Where are you in your job search now?" That's because they may be starting at the beginning with you (again). If you have 3 things are close to an offer, why would they start now?
Here's another variation on answering that question.
I don't know if this happened 4 years ago or 4 weeks ago. If it is 4 years ago, they may have some notes, especially for speaking to the same person as you did, then about the turndown that you gave them, and then go into the explanation for why you chose that firm over there firm. If it is 4 months ago, the 1st answer that I gave applies.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1300 episodes and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice.” He is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter answers a viewer’s question about a tough salary negotiation where he was low-balled by a firm he received an offer from and hen received a counteroffer from his current employer.
I'm going to paraphrase the scenario for you, but just follow with me, okay? This person is an offer from a quality organization that he would really like to work for. However, they lowballed him. The hiring manager went the bat, saying that lowballing him was the wrong strategy; he is worth more. Regardless, HR has lowballed him.
With some trepidation, he decided to give notice. It is the middle the month as I am recording this. He is given 2 weeks notice and it would be starting at the beginning of the month with this well-regarded organization in this job that you prefer doing.
He gives his notice, having been a consultant for this 1 firm for a long time. They have been dangling a carrot in front of him and now that he is given notice, suddenly they go, "Wait! No no no no no no no no no! DON'T GO! WE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU NOW!" He has a dilemma. What do you do?
The negotiation is completely botched so let's acknowledge that. It should have been done differently and I will simply say he has some leverage on both sides. This is the way that I would play it.
He's not sure if his current firm will give them a promotion. I also know he really would prefer the other position more (the one with the celebrity firm), but, you know, there are always other fish in the sea.
You start off by determining from the current firm what they are really going to do for him. Let's start off with the position that he really wants and a raise to minimally manage that which he has given notice for. OR, if it is less money than what he is currently making,. He is getting a promotion, and more money should come with a promotion, right?
Even if they don't commit to the promotion and they just commit to a full-time job, ask them to put the offer letter in writing so that he has that as an indication of their good intentions.
Next, with the other firm, once he has this, he can go back to the celebrity firm and say," I gave notice and received a counter offer. I would frankly rather join your firm. However, let's get practical. All along I have said that I am likely to get a counter. You have lowballed me and guess what happened? I got a counter. I would rather join your firm. The hiring manager tells me that he went to you and told you not to do this but you did it anyway. But, regardless, I would like to join. This is the number that will cause me to join."
The 1st thing I would do actually is called the hiring manager before calling HR and tell them that you have another offer as a counter just as you would warned. " You know, I am not independently wealthy.. You won't see my name in the Forbes list of wealthiest Americans. I want to join your firm and I would like to work for you. I can't walk away from so much money and this role which is an interesting role. Can you get me more?"
Have him or her go to bat for you with HR. Have them call the big medium blowup the situation and force HR to do what they should've done all along. Some major organizations do this; they lowball and try to save some money. They act as though it is coming out of their pocket. But, at the end of the day, there are other firms that you can join.
Recognize that! This is a market where you have choices. Don't allow yourself to be bludgeoned based upon the old scenario of a year ago and beyond! Use your leverage well here.
The celebrity firm, the well-known firm, will up the offer or they are going to walk away and then the hiring manager is going to blow a fit. That doesn't help you. The real question is you can only do this if you would really accept the current situation. If you won't or can't, then you are stuck because you have no leverage. You don't really want to walk away.
If you are prepared to walk away, this is the best way to play it. Get the current offer,See if they will up the money a little bit when they do it. Then circle back to the celebrity firm's hiring manager and tell them what's happened and say, "Look, I want to join. You know what I am worth. However, HR has a bug up your butt about lowballing me. I don't know why. Do you?' Have he or she go to bat for you.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1300 episodes and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice.” He is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
Today, I want to talk with you about evaluating the job offer when you get it.
Now, this isn't about negotiating the job offer. This is about the evaluation process and everyone tends to focus on salary and rightly so. But they tend to focus on the top line number or gross salary without taking into consideration some of the secondary criteria for evaluating the offer.
So, for example, I used to live in the New York area and for people who lived out of state they had to also take into consideration the difference in taxes. So, for example, if you live in Connecticut and work them to Connecticut, you had one tax that you would pay for to the state. However, if you start to work in New York State or New York City, you had a different tax structure to consider that might affect the net number. So, let's work with a simple example.
You get an offer for a $10,000 increase but you're going to have to work in New York City. Now, there's a commutation cost that's different than what you had when you drove to work. There's also a difference in your taxes because the New York taxes are higher than the Connecticut taxes. The money that you paid in New York is credited against your Connecticut taxes, but it's higher. You don't have the wear and tear on your car because all you have to do is drive the train station, but a $300 train ticket is basically costing you almost your entire raise. So, remember to consider the net number when you evaluate the offer.
Also, remember to consider the value of the benefits and the cost to you. Now, for some people, they're joining an organization and the real reason is because they have superior benefits to what they currently have. That's not just simply about cash bonuses for profit sharing which you need to take into consideration. After all. if a company has match on a 401K that's superior to what you have, that's real money in your pocket because you're going to be able to invest that towards your retirement and, even if you don't think that's important, don't be dumb. Take advantage of that because, frankly, eventually you get to be old and you like having that money set aside. Trust me!
So, you have to look at benefits and the simplest thing is cost of the insurance. You know, you're a married person with two kids at home and suddenly have a non-contributory benefits package. I know it's a big saving. You may have only been paying $200 a month at your last job, but that's still two and a half thousand dollars a year in savings that you have that you're not going to be paying for anymore.
Another thing to consider. I have a client that has an extraordinary benefits package and, additionally, they do free lunch for the employees. It's brought to their desk every day. They are handed a menu in the morning. By 11 o'clock, you fill it out. It's delivered to your desk at 12:30. Nice little gift, especially when you're in Midtown Manhattan where these folks are. Do you think lunches are $2? Of course not. Free lunch delivered to the desk. Completely free benefits. Very nice!
So, my reminder to you is when you evaluate the offer, you have to remember the about all the ancillary benefits. Now, those benefits, again, could also include the taxes, the cost of insurance, the cost of commutation, the cost of wear and tear on your car, whether you driving more or less to get to the new position. I don't want to take time into consideration because that's not going to be a factor from the employer's standpoint. So, you're kidding yourself, but, for you, you have to consider whether or not those that extra 30 minutes in the car for example, is worth it. Or that extra hour commuting to another city on the commuter train or bus is worth it. What you can do with that time if you had it or if you give it up.
So, these are all factors you need to take into consideration when you evaluate a job offer
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1300 episodes and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice.” He is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
In this video, Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter explains a strategy for turning down a job offer so that maybe you wind up with something better.
Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.
Job hunting is a rigged game with you the patsy.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
Someone wrote to me a few days ago with a situation that you hear about all the time. Let me just walk through the scenario. I’m not going to read the exact thing because everyone is entitled to their privacy.
The scenario is she's woman over 40 and she is not bashful, but she is not use to negotiating and advocating on her own behalf. So, in the course of early interviews, she lowballed herself because she was afraid they ask for her real value and we are going to get to correct that in just a moment. But, she is being flown out for a third interview. It's going to involve a relocation. I don't know if it's a higher or lower cost of living area of the country, but she and her teen child will be making this move I (and the pets). It has to be worth her while. So, when all is said and done, she's a little apprehensive about using my tactic that I call The Easiest Way to Negotiate a Higher Salary for Yourself (you can watch that video; it is extremely popular on YouTube).
So, we’re going to do this earlier and do it at the time of the interview. What do you do? The first thing is the notion ageism and taking advantage of someone who is over 40. I don't know whether gender plays into this, except on her side, whether because she conducts herself in a more fearful manner. So that can be a gender issue and we are going to respect that. But there is a way of correcting the lowball. That will occur at the time of the interview. That’s because the subject of compensation will be will arise at some point based upon what's taken place.
I want you to understand that you need to be prepared to walk away if they don't correct what you’ve recognized as your mistake. Well, the strategy starts off with you want to make them love your candidacy. You want to do an exceptional job at these meetings and make people believe that you are the solution to what they're looking for. Huge requirement here! Without it (I’m going to make a remark here that guys laugh at; I don't know how women respond to it. But guys believe that) no love, no money, no honey.
So, the goal is to make the firm fall in love. With that done, the subject of money will come up at some point, either on the trip later on where they going to try to confirm the numbers with you or when you get home. Again, it's extremely important that you win the interview. Just keep doing what you are doing. Obviously, they are flying you out, they believe that you are a solution to what they're looking for. As a result, you have a card to play because once they circle back to you do talk numbers with you they are ready to do the hire. If they don't want to do the hire, they are just going to let you know that they’ve chosen someone else. You are not their person. Yada yada yada.
So, the important thing is to make them believe that you are the solution. Once they circle back about numbers, here’s what you do.
“I realize at the time of the initial interview l said such and such as what I was looking for. But I realized that there is a cost-of-living differential between the two areas. And, frankly, I was a little nervous at the time. I’ve had a chance to do some homework and I see that the real number is ‘Y’.”
If there is a huge difference between the original number and “Y,” they're going to balk a little bit and you can talk in terms of, “That may be a bigger number than you might think of because it is quite a job here, but I want you to consider my circumstances. I want to encourage you that if you want to bring me on board, I want to encouragement you to make your strongest offer to me. My goal is to get as close this as possible. Maybe it could be done partially as a sign-on, partially with the relocation expenses been taking care of so I am not incurring anything out of pocket. Because, I really think that this is a great opportunity for me but I have responsibilities at home. I know that's not your problem; it’s mine. But, I want to join . . . “
Do you see where I’m going with this?
It's a speech that basically has you sounding like you’re agonizing here, explaining your circumstances and trying to connect person to person.
At the end of the day if they can’t afford “Y” getting close to “Y,” you have the power to say, “ no.” However, it sounds like you really want to do it but you want to be treated fairly and this lays out a case for you and why you didn't do it because you mentioned the thing about being a little nervous at the time. So, I didn’t really advocate for myself well enough. I’ve had a chance to think about it, I’ve had a chance to do some homework. There is a cost-of-living differential between the two areas. I love the job (you want to give them something here so that they feel like if they are going to go to a lot of effort, you’re not going to turn it down. “I love the job. It would really love to join but, financial it has to be worthwhile for me. I'm not talking about getting way ahead of the game. There is a cost-of-living difference between (there was nothing to indicate that locations here) there is a cost-of-living difference between living in the Bay area where you're asking me to move to and living in Asheville, North Carolina which is where I happen to be.
At the end of the day, what you want to be doing is laying out a case for yourself AFTER you’ve done great work on the interview.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for what more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1200 episodes, “Job Search Radio,” “and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice” and is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
One of my subscribers sent me a message through YouTube asking the question that basically translates into, “How do I decide between multiple job offers?”
Well, the answer to that is actually pretty easy and let me just explain. Before you start your job search, you have to sit down and ask yourself this question, “what's most important to you in the next job or organization? What will I need to see or hear to believe that it's the right place for me to join?”
Once you have asked and answered that question, it is easy because you can matchup the jobs are proposed and the way the firm is explaining the upside to these opportunities to you with your own particular goals and ambitions. You can matchup compensation that you were looking for with what's been offered to you.
This it doesn’t mean that you can't be flexible and frankly, you should be, because, often, the original requirements are not based on any reality. They’re completely ungrounded magical kind of thought .
“Oh, I wish I could become the such and such. No, I'm a programmer and love to be the CIO.” Completely unrealistic.
But, assuming that you were realistic with what your interests and motivations were, line up your offers against those goals. Having done that, once you have it narrowed down to a preference, then you have to do one extra step.
Assuming that I may need to look for job again, what will this opportunity do for me in terms of the marketplace, in terms of my marketability, in terms of what my long-term goals are, not just simply what you want to accomplish now but what you look at want to accomplish of your career.
Once you match those of up, sometimes your answer becomes a little bit different. But only you know how you should weight the scale; by that I mean only you know what you should put extra emphasis on. Is it the money now or the upside potential in the future?
I can’t answer that kind of a question; only you can. But, that's the mechanics of how you should really go about doing it.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1200 episodes, “Job Search Radio,” “and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice” and is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
You have two offers. The better job came in lower and you really want to take it but you don’t want to leave money on the table. What can you say to negotiate it being improved?
Someone describe the situation to me that they were wrestling with. They have an offer. The firm came in less than what another offer is and they want to know how to respond. So, they’ve got two offers. A higher one and a lower one. The lower one is the better job. They started to say something to the effect of “There is a wide gap here between your offer and another one I have but, I prefer this job. If you can match that other offer. I'd be happy to join. I will commit to it today. Sign whatever paperwork you need . . . Yada yada yada.
The hiring manager responded by saying something that translates into, “I can work on that. Give me one good reason why I should do that.” The person wound up in brain cramp and did what a lot of people do which sounds like the interview version of begging. “I’ll work so hard! I’ll be a good employee! I’ll care about my job! I need the money! I’ve got a lot of expenses and I need the money!” All that happens is they just sound ridiculous and no one really cares.
So, understand that the promise to be a great employee is what's expected and that you have a lot of expenses, they don't really care about. If you promise to work 24x7 you are just a liar because you or not going to do that. So, what can you do, what can you say and that's the basic theme behind this.
The notion that you are a distance apart is really the key response that you have. “I have another offer from another firm.” Or my own firm is talking about giving me a raise. I should have the raise within two weeks period I’m prepared to say, “ yes,” the other offer /the raise should bring me to (whatever the number is; the raise would bring me to and then you give them a sense of the numbers). I’m not asking you to give me $50,000 more (unless that’s really what the other offer is for) but what I'm asking to do is to match. Unfortunately, I would have to turn down your offer, even though I really prefer the role because I’m not independently wealthy. Money is a factor for me. I would be kidding you if I said anything to the contrary. All I am asking you do is match the other offer and I will commit to joining.”
Now, that's a sincere approach because they'll understand very clearly that you want to join. You are saying you will join. This is a tactic I’ve used when I did recruiting and I had people do this for themselves because they were put on the spot.
I just told him very simply, you may not have noticed this, but there's no one with my last name on the list of wealthiest Americans in Forbes or in Fortune. My income is basically my value or what I need to support myself. It is not a big difference but, fundamentally, it is for me because I'm working to earn a living as well as do great work. I’ll simply say I would encourage you to match the other offer.
Now, if you are really feeling pointed, you can simply say, “the cost of going back and interview and reengage in this process or hiring the person who is second best, there is something in your mind that differentiated me from them. There is certainly an expense of going back and interviewing; it takes you away from your work; it takes your team away to evaluate people and, frankly, wouldn’t you rather just be done with it?
That works very well at a senior level. At average “Jane and Joe level,” just stick with the first half of it as I outlined. It works.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1200 episodes, “Job Search Radio,” “and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice” and is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
Someone wrote to me a few days ago with a situation that you hear about all the time. Let me just walk through the scenario. I’m not going to read the exact thing because everyone is entitled to their privacy.
The scenario is she's woman over 40 and she is not bashful, but she is not use to negotiating and advocating on her own behalf. So, in the course of early interviews, she lowballed herself because she was afraid they ask for her real value and we are going to get to correct that in just a moment. But, she is being flown out for a third interview. It's going to involve a relocation. I don't know if it's a higher or lower cost of living area of the country, but she and her teen child will be making this move I (and the pets). It has to be worth her while. So, when all is said and done, she's a little apprehensive about using my tactic that I call The Easiest Way to Negotiate a Higher Salary for Yourself (you can watch that video; it is extremely popular on YouTube).
So, we’re going to do this earlier and do it at the time of the interview. What do you do? The first thing is the notion ageism and taking advantage of someone who is over 40. I don't know whether gender plays into this, except on her side, whether because she conducts herself in a more fearful manner. So that can be a gender issue and we are going to respect that. But there is a way of correcting the lowball. That will occur at the time of the interview. That’s because the subject of compensation will be will arise at some point based upon what's taken place.
I want you to understand that you need to be prepared to walk away if they don't correct what you’ve recognized as your mistake. Well, the strategy starts off with you want to make them love your candidacy. You want to do an exceptional job at these meetings and make people believe that you are the solution to what they're looking for. Huge requirement here! Without it (I’m going to make a remark here that guys laugh at; I don't know how women respond to it. But guys believe that) no love, no money, no honey.
So, the goal is to make the firm fall in love. With that done, the subject of money will come up at some point, either on the trip later on where they going to try to confirm the numbers with you or when you get home. Again, it's extremely important that you win the interview. Just keep doing what you are doing. Obviously, they are flying you out, they believe that you are a solution to what they're looking for. As a result, you have a card to play because once they circle back to you do talk numbers with you they are ready to do the hire. If they don't want to do the hire, they are just going to let you know that they’ve chosen someone else. You are not their person. Yada yada yada.
So, the important thing is to make them believe that you are the solution. Once they circle back about numbers, here’s what you do.
“I realize at the time of the initial interview l said such and such as what I was looking for. But I realized that there is a cost-of-living differential between the two areas. And, frankly, I was a little nervous at the time. I’ve had a chance to do some homework and I see that the real number is ‘Y’.”
If there is a huge difference between the original number and “Y,” they're going to balk a little bit and you can talk in terms of, “That may be a bigger number than you might think of because it is quite a job here, but I want you to consider my circumstances. I want to encourage you that if you want to bring me on board, I want to encouragement you to make your strongest offer to me. My goal is to get as close this as possible. Maybe it could be done partially as a sign-on, partially with the relocation expenses been taking care of so I am not incurring anything out of pocket. Because, I really think that this is a great opportunity for me but I have responsibilities at home. I know that's not your problem; it’s mine. But, I want to join . . . “
Do you see where I’m going with this?
It's a speech that basically has you sounding like you’re agonizing here, explaining your circumstances and trying to connect person to person.
At the end of the day if they can’t afford “Y” getting close to “Y,” you have the power to say, “ no.” However, it sounds like you really want to do it but you want to be treated fairly and this lays out a case for you and why you didn't do it because you mentioned the thing about being a little nervous at the time. So, I didn’t really advocate for myself well enough. I’ve had a chance to think about it, I’ve had a chance to do some homework. There is a cost-of-living differential between the two areas. I love the job (you want to give them something here so that they feel like if they are going to go to a lot of effort, you’re not going to turn it down. “I love the job. It would really love to join but, financial it has to be worthwhile for me. I'm not talking about getting way ahead of the game. There is a cost-of-living difference between (there was nothing to indicate that locations here) there is a cost-of-living difference between living in the Bay area where you're asking me to move to and living in Asheville, North Carolina which is where I happen to be.
At the end of the day, what you want to be doing is laying out a case for yourself AFTER you’ve done great work on the interview.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for what more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 1200 episodes, “Job Search Radio,” “and his newest show, “No BS Coaching Advice” and is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Connect with me on LinkedIn. Then message me to schedule an initial complimentary session.
JobSearchCoachingHQ.com offers great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.
If you want to know how to win more interviews, order “Winning Interviews.” You’ll learn how to win phone interviews, in-person interviews, the best question to ask on any interview and more.
Would you like to talk through a salary negotiation or potential negotiation you’re involved with? Order and schedule time with me.
