What To Do (and Not Do) When You Get A Job Offer
Kent R.
So you got a job offer, but that moment of relief you feel – the feeling that all your hard work has paid off – fades fast once you realize that you now have to negotiate. So what do you do?
On this episode of the Stop Hating Mondays Podcast, we’ve got some important tips for what to do when you get a job offer and some information that should make the process a little less nerve-wracking.
TRANSCRIPT
(Transcripts are auto-generated and may contain minor errors)
Caanan
You got a job offer, but that moment of relief you feel – the feeling that all your hard work has paid off – fades fast once you realize that now you have to negotiate.
So what do you do?
On this episode of the Stop Hatting Mondays Podcast, we've got some important tips for what to do when you get a job offer and some information that should make the process a little less nerve wracking.
Caanan
This question comes from David, a product manager, right?
What's the best tactic when negotiating a job offer?
Kent
Ha ha! Yes. And I always give people advice that they're not expecting. And that advice is simply never accept right away.
We get so focused on negotiating and you know, you just have it in your mind that, for instance, the salary is going to be really low. You get so focused on “I want to negotiate that salary before I even know what it is.”
Bottom line, just don't accept it right away. And it's hilarious how difficult this is for people 'cause in truth you didn't – well, you probably didn't – apply for the job because you didn't want it. You applied for the job because you want it. So you get a growing sense through all the interviews that the offer is coming.
And then you know this is the offer – usually a call, because companies want to get you to accept right away. If they can do it over the phone, all the better – and you forget about all this common sense advice you've heard and that we're giving today and you just say yes… Or probably, or something.
So number one is: Never accept right away.
No company is going to dock you for saying, “Yes, I'll look for the document and I'll look it over and talk it over with my spouse or partner” or “I'll look it over over the weekend. Can I get back to you on Tuesday?”
Don't even think about negotiating.
Don't even think about any element that they've shared over the phone because it should come to you in writing if it's come over the phone.
And then when you actually get an offer, you can look at it piece by piece.
Caanan
So your advice is to never accept a job right away.
What you're saying is, even if that call comes in and the salary is great – it's what you were hoping for…maybe it's even better…the benefits look good. – You're saying “always pause and always negotiate.”
Kent
Yeah, well, I say that because usually there's something to negotiate.
I don't know.
I'm really trying to think back 'cause I hate to say 100% of the time, but I do not know that I've worked on either side of the table where a negotiation hasn't been appropriate. And let me just define negotiation for purposes of this conversation.
I look at negotiation as even clarification.
Because at the very least, I think your offer letter isn't going to be as clear as it needs to be regarding, say, medical benefits. “OK, well you provide medical benefits. What is the premium for a full time employee who's covered?”
You need to have those questions answered. So I look at things like that as part of the negotiation process.
Now word of clarification here.
I used to be the absolutely, always negotiate person who's always waving that flag.
I'm not quite that strident anymore, because, again, I've learned over the last few years especially, that people think negotiate and salary go hand in hand. So even the word negotiate, what people really are thinking is salary.
So first of all, that is an element. It's a very important element. It's this starting point. But it is not the only thing you're looking at…the full array of benefits and the landscape in general.
You need to have clear information on every element of your job.
You want to know something that is rarely mentioned in an offer letter, but people won't ask about…When will your performance be evaluated?
Many companies make you skip unless you're there a full fiscal year, you have to skip the performance evaluation. So if you start two months into the fiscal calendar, you are not eligible for a performance evaluation with a pay raise for nearly 20 or 22 months.
So, for instance, going back to our friend salary, you think that salary sounds good. Then you're on board and you realize you're not having an evaluation with the potential for a raise for 22 months. So there's lots of things you should be looking at and.
Part of negotiation consulting, we get into all of these elements. When we do that kind of consulting, it's very interesting to kind of to see the gaps that people have.
Caanan
Just to clarify, you're saying – really saying – always take time to consider and clarify, but a lot of times you will actually need to negotiate. And when you do need to negotiate, what's your what's a good tip for that?
Kent
Always negotiate in good faith.
I'll share something that I'm hearing more and more and it's really disturbing. Sso here's sort of an example.
Say you've applied for a job online and it's made you fill out one of those questionnaires like:
Do you have the required graduate degree?
Do you have the required 10 years in engineering?
Are you willing to accept a salary in this range?
This is just an example.
So then when it comes to an offer you get a salary, say in the – and this isn't a real life example –
I'm kind of twisting around in my mind 'cause I feel like I'm gonna give this person away, but uh, salary –
very close to the high end of the range that was disclosed in that application process that you agreed to and now all of a sudden you want to turn around and say, “oh I want something above that range that was disclosed.”
So in this case, the company rescinded the offer. And that is because they weren't doing something unethical or in poor form. It's because you aren't negotiating in good faith.
You said that this range that they presented you with was acceptable.
Then you're getting an offer. None of the other mechanics of the job changed, and you're all the sudden saying “no, I want more.”
You may want more. You may feel like you deserve more. But that's not negotiating in good faith because of how the company’s behaved.
So that top top top tip: negotiate in good faith.
Know what you're talking about.
Don't just push back on salary because you feel like pushing back on salary.
You need to know what you're worth in the market, what the job is worth.
Don't push back on PTO just to push back on PTO. You need to know: What's the landscape like?
What's typical PTO in a similar company at a simpler at a similar employment range?
Always negotiate in good faith.
Caanan
OK, last question, how do you keep your cool when you're negotiating? 'cause this is a this is something that freaks a lot of people out.
Kent
Yeah, this is like a pacifier answer, but it's the best answer.
We get so wound up in this idea of negotiating. It makes people so nervous.
Don't forget both sides, when it comes to job offer, want a positive outcome. Your positive outcomes may look different, thus negotiation, but the employer wants a positive outcome just like you do.
