How to Negotiate a Job Offer in This Economy
In a down economy, many job seekers are eager to get a job of any type, making them loathe to attempt to negotiate a higher salary. While it is true that economic factors sometimes limit the offering power of a company, this does not mean that you should forgo salary negotiations altogether. Instead, proceed with your negotiation attempt, though do so more carefully. Keep in mind the limits that the economy may place on your offering range.
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Instructions
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Gather information on how much the employer pays. Even in a down economy, employers should still pay new employees close to what they are paying their current ones. If the employer has a public salary schedule or the salaries are part of public record, gather this information, determining how much current workers are getting. Use this as your base.
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Decide how much you want the job. Because more workers are looking for jobs in a faltering economy, companies may be more willing to walk away instead of negotiating as heavily with you. Before you make hard-to-meet offers, determine how eager you are to hold the job. If you definitely want the position, you may want to make a less-demanding counter.
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Select a figure you hope for before the offer. Instead of waiting to see what the company offers you and then simply responding, decide in your head what you want to receive. While you may not get this figure, creating it gives you a clear mental picture of your goal, allowing you to more effectively work toward it.
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Negotiate face-to-face. By negotiating face-to-face you can humanize yourself, making it harder for the employer to simply walk away from the negotiation table.
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Read the potential employer to determine whether his offer is really the best he can give. When the economy is in trouble, a low offer may be all he can afford to offer. If you know, for example, that the employer is experiencing economic hardship, or if he appears to be a very upfront person, you may believe that this initial offer is the best one he can give. If you counter it at all, present a counter that is very close to the original offer.
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