Address All Relevant Terms During a Negotiation
Job negotiations involve more than just salary. Addressing all terms will help both parties find the best possible deal.
Overview
In negotiations, your biggest enemy is a fixed pie mentality.
Consider a job negotiation. The employer offers $110,000. But you want $130,000. With a fixed pie, at least one party needs to concede. Typically, both parties concede to the middle — in this case $120,000.
But this final agreement is worse for both parties. With the right approach, your deals can be favorable to both parties.
How? Avoid fixating on a single metric (e.g., salary).
Instead, you need to address all terms. For job negotiations, address the terms beyond salary:
- Benefits
- Vacation days
- Commissions
- Working from home
- Scheduled raises
- Other perks
By listing all terms, your negotiation becomes more flexible. You might accept the $110,000 salary if you can work from home for two days each week.