Never Accept the First Salary Offer

Why Accepting the First Salary Offer is Never a Good Idea

 

One of the key issues I tackle in my executive coaching work is helping clients negotiate the salary, bonus and perks they want in a new job.

What always surprises me is the anxiety that clients display in trying to come up with the salary number to request.

The anxiety is often coupled with feelings of gratitude (wow, they offered me a job!) or, I don’t want to appear greedy (they won’t think I’m a team player if I ask for a lot plus they already said they have a limited budget).

Have these thoughts entered your mind in dealing with the salary issue?

I bet they have.

I’d like to offer my point of view.

Sheryl Sandburg, the COO of Facebook, and the author of the new and controversial book “Lean In,” suggests that women need to step up and learn to negotiate salaries that reflect what they are truly worth.

However, my experience in coaching executives proves that
asking for what you are worth is not only a women’s issue; men
also lack adequate negotiating skills.

Here are two recent examples:

A client came to me because he was about to accept a new job with a government agency. He was going back to the public sector after working in a large private corporation for several years.

The potential new boss said they were limited by the salaries of their current employees. During our session the client told me that offers were tied to salary grades (hard numbers) and sign-on bonuses were unheard of in government.

However, the client had progressed a long way in experience and value since his prior government service and needed to factor that
into his new ask.

I pressed him to request a salary matching his current compensation. My client negotiated over several weeks with his potential new boss.

The upshot was that they not only matched his current salary, which was a big ask, but they also gave him a sign-on bonus!

What does this prove?

Always ask for what you deserve. If the new employer really wants you they will “find” the money, government or not.

A second example was a client who was consulting for a growing entertainment company. They offered her a full-time position and she
was struggling to figure out what salary to request. She wanted to match the salary of her last full-time job but was reluctant to request
that because the employer said they had a “limited budget.”

After our discussion, she requested 10K more than her last salary. The company initially countered with a lower offer. She persisted and inquired if they could do better. They not only came back with the 10K she asked but agreed to an early performance review.

My client knew she had superior skills for the job and she had proven her value. Her negotiating position was strong.

Not every potential candidate has a strong bargaining position going into a salary negotiation. However, be aware that most employer’s use the phrase, “we have a limited budget” as a negotiating ploy to apply pressure to the candidate to accept a lower offer.

The lesson here is:

Don’t buy into the “limited budget” tactic.

At a minimum, always say you need time to think over the first offer. This will give you breathing room to develop your negotiating
strategy.

Consider this: negotiating is a skill all employers value and they will be watching and impressed by how you handle this first negotiating test.

Learning to recognize and successfully navigate the methods employers use in salary negotiations will strengthen your resolve
never to accept the first offer.

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Do you need guidance in negotiating your new salary? Working with an executive coach can make all the difference.

Authoritarian Bosses Create Cutthroat Cultures

bosses“Remove staffers who don’t crush it. Immediately.”

This quote came from an Inc.com article — “10 Ways to Step Up Your Leadership Today” by Dave Balter published in January  of this year.

Did you cringe when you read that? I did.

And that uncomfortable feeling stayed with me for days.

My immediate reaction was — who is really making the mistake here?

How much of the failure to “crush it” is the fault of the boss?

What kind of culture does this method create and is it conducive to retaining good people?

Here are things to consider:

The CEO’s and bosses I work with are creative, driven and extremely hard working. However, they often lack leadership skills and that keeps my executive coaching New York business busy. Further, they are terrible at giving direction, often sketching out in a vague and unformed fashion what they hope to achieve.

So, boss, ask yourself — have you given ANY direction to your staff? How specific was the direction? Are you unclear in your own mind what you expect the outcome to be?

You may want to triple your profits. You may want to be known for the best customer service in your industry. You may want to produce
a product that will knock the your client’s socks off. Or you may think that any of these outcomes would be good.

Any uncertainly in your mind will compound the uncertainty of those that are responsible for delivering results. Ensure that your staffers are clear on what you want by asking them to review their commitments and deliverables.

You don’t need to provide specific methods for reaching the desired targets. You do need to share the “why” and the ultimate goals. Allow your staff to find their own way of getting to the results. If you insist on the method being your way, you will kill creativity and independent thinking.

How open are you to providing coaching or employee development? Do you expect every new hire to come in and perform at the highest level without a period of learning, transitioning and melding with the team?

Okay, I’m not saying you coddle or excuse poor performance after 3-6 months. I am saying that to expect extraordinary results right out of the gate is unrealistic. And it creates morale problems and a cutthroat culture that allows no room for learning or missteps.

If you set a high bar and expect everyone to reach it, then you also need to provide the tools and a pathway for your people to get there.

Results are what profitable businesses are all about. However, if results are your sole criteria for success, ask yourself if this is the
type of business culture and future you want your children to inherit.

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Do you want to motivate and lead your staff more effectively? My executive coaching services can help you hone your leadership skills and clearly define your goals and objectives.

Achieve Goals with Conversations That Count

achieve goals, achieving goalsIn my executive coaching work, I’m often asked how I help people reach the next level and achieve their goals.

My simple response to that question is —

Make your conversations count.

Every conversation.

How flattered would you feel if an acquaintance you met once remembered not only your name but also details about what you said?

My guess is you’d feel flattered and impressed that your words were remembered.  It’s a good feeling that you can create with your contacts if you stay in the present moment.

Achieving your goals necessitates interacting with other people — securing information or budgets, seeking guidance, brainstorming or making requests for connections with other people who might be helpful.

So, how do you make your conversations count?

Here are tips for having a dialogue that’s not soon forgotten:

  • Focus  — All your energy, attention and eye contact on the other person.  Shake hands with a firm grip and a genuine smile on your face and in your eyes. Listen intently so you recall details. Crystallize the key points in your mind and take notes afterwards. Then refer back to the comments, stories and suggestions the next time you connect.
  • Relax —People are attracted to those who are tranquil and calm.  No matter the type of person you are speaking with — approach them as an equal and be yourself.   They will want to be around you because you radiate confidence and are comfortable in your skin.
  • Prepare — You know the questions you want to ask, or you should.  That’s a no-brainer.  Beyond your questions, your prep work should consist of research that will show you care enough to know more than their name and title.  Prepare one or two specific comments that would spark a dialogue.
  • Why are you speaking?  — Ask yourself that question before you say anything.  Are you truly listening and responding in the moment to what the other person is saying?  Are you even present? Or are you wrapped up with what you are going to say next, so you can sound impressive?  Too many of us are afraid of appearing stupid or insecure so we compensate by uttering words that have nothing to do with the topic at hand, or say too much.  It’s much wiser to listen more, learn, and respond succinctly.   Your words will have greater impact, and will be more meaningful, if you distill the information you share.
  • Expect Good Outcomes — Assume positive intent about people and situations.  The tone of your voice and your choice of words will directly reflect your mental outlook. People gravitate towards upbeat and outgoing individuals, thus compounding the reason to stash away any negative thoughts.
  • Offer Your Help — Don’t wait until you send a follow-up email or card.  Before the conversation ends, offer your assistance.  If you’ve done your prep work, you might even offer help on a current project that is important to your contact.


You can achieve your goals if you upgrade the quality of your conversations.  Charismatic people know this, and use the power of focus to draw people into their circle of influence by making everyone feel heard and respected.

Here’s a short and helpful article on having better conversations in the February issue of Fast Company.  Read it here: http://www.fastcompany.com/3004491/how-toyes-and-your-way-better-banter

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Are you planning the steps to achieve your goals?  That’s where I can help.  Visit my executive coaching services page!