How to Negotiate Salaries Mindfully
Does the thought of sitting across from someone at a negotiating table keep you up at night?
If you just gave a silent nod, know that you’re far from the only one. For both recruiters and candidates alike, negotiating salaries is something that almost everyone has to deal with at one point or another — and we often have not been taught the optimal way to process the experience.
Though it can seem like a hostile and undesirable practice, it really doesn’t have to be — regardless of which side of the table you are on.
To negotiate in a more mindful manner, here are some important concepts to consider:
1. Don’t play games. Ever.
Negotiations are the potential beginning — or continuation — of a collaborative relationship. The foundation of any strong relationship needs to be rooted in trust, honesty, and compassion for everyone involved. By seeking a way to make the negotiation work for all parties, and being candid about the situation, it leads to much more harmonious outcomes.
Conversely, when a negotiation becomes hostile and dishonest, it can leave feelings of resentment, distrust, and leave a bad aftertaste behind.
2. Focus on the value being brought to the table.
It’s vital to do your homework beforehand, and to make decisions based on data rather than emotions. What is the average salary for someone with this skill set? Is it higher or lower in the particular region that you live in? How much value is being brought to the table?
Thinking about these types of factors — and how it fits within the overall business strategy — is of vital importance. After all, a business that does not provide value in a financially sustainable way will eventually have trouble keeping its doors open.
There are plenty of resources on the web to determine what a fair salary would be for specific roles, based upon industry and experience level.
3. Everyone is worried about their own bottom line.
All candidates naturally want to maximize their salary, and all employers need to be mindful of their bottom line. This is completely normal. By accepting this reality, we can be aware of why it can easily get emotionally bitter if we aren’t extremely mindful and intentional about the entire process.
In business, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and building a unified team is an essential part of this process. By creating the best overall negotiation experience, it allows teams to more easily focus on what’s important: creating products and services that people love.
Download our comprehensive epaper on Salary Negotiation here.
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