Salary Negotiation: Responding to an Ultimatum | JobSearchTV.com
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Harvard Business School Professor Deepak Malhotra offers advice about responding to an ultimatum. I add on a reminder about dealing with takeaways from recruiters.
Deepak Malhotra is a Harvard Business School professor. He wrote an article for Harvard Business Review called ’15 rules for negotiating a job offer.’ And in dealing with ultimatums, Professor Malhotra had this to say, “People don’t like being told do this or else. So avoid giving ultimatums. Sometimes we do so inadvertently. We’re trying to show strength or we’re frustrated, and it comes off the wrong way. Your counterpart may do the same. My personal approach when at the receiving end of an ultimatum is to simply ignore it, because at some point, the person who gave it might realize that it could scuttle the deal and will want to take it back. He can do that much more easily without losing face if it’s never discussed. If someone tells you we’ll never do that, don’t dwell on it, or make her repeat it. Instead, you might say, I can see how that might be difficult given where we are today. Perhaps we can talk about X, Y, Z. Pretend the ultimatum was never given, and keep her from being becoming wedded to it. If it’s real, she’ll make that clear over time.’
I think that’s a very good response to dealing with ultimatums. And if you’re getting this from a third party recruiter, remember, they’re the messenger of the ultimatum, or they’re trying a technique called ‘the takeaway,’ where they’re telling you there’s a deadline for a decision. If you don’t agree to the offer, it’s going to disappear.
If that happens, confirm that with their client, with the firm that’s trying to hire you as to whether or not the offer has, shall we say, a disappearing quality to it at that point. Because again, that’s part of the recruiter playbook.
Hope you found this helpful. I’m Jeff Altman. Visit my website, TheBigGameHunter.us There’s a ton on the blog that will help you. Plus while you’re there, you can schedule time for a free discovery call with me, help with salary negotiation, you can do that at the site. You can schedule me for coaching if you’re earlier in the process or want my help post employment. You can find out about my courses, books and guides. There’s a lot out there to help you.
And I’ll remind you if this isn’t the right time for you to do that, put the address in your phone. Again, that’s TheBigGameHunter.us, and in the notes field, put the phrase ‘job search blog,’ so this way you can find it at a later date.
Lastly, connect with me on Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter. Have a terrific day and be great.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2400 episodes.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? People hire me to provide No BS career advice whether that is about a job search, hiring better, leadership, management or support with a workplace issue. Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
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