Let me start off by acknowledging the delay in this post from the last. There have been many changes since my last posting. The most notable of which is the prolonged downturn in the business cycle. I, like many others, where expecting more of a recovery by now. However, we must deal with our current situation and apply the same basic principles for finding a job now more then ever. In my last post I covered some basic techniques for, and psychology behind, dealing with the question of what are you looking to make. In this post I will assume that you have applied these successfully and have received an offer.
The first question that must be addressed is, is the offer a fair one? If you have followed the steps laid out in the previous posts most likely both sides have had a good idea of what to expect financially in an offer. It is certainly the exception and not the rule, but in this market there are a few employers who are going to try and take advantage of an individual’s unfortunate situation if they have been laid off and are more desperate than they normally would be. If you receive an offer that is ridiculously low or out of sync with what has been discussed you must ask yourself, “if they are trying to cheat me now will they continue to follow this pattern”? As hard as it is to do, I would recommend professionally declining that offer an focusing the energy you would have put into that job into finding a company you feel comfortable with. This is an exception, I have found that a vast majority of employers are going to deal honestly and directly.
Now if the offer you have received is deemed fair and it is one that you feel is the employers best offer (see previous posts establish this), the question remains how do you accept it. On the surface this seems like a no brainer, you simply accept it. There are times when this is appropriate and the obvious choice. Usually in those cases the candidate is single and is able to make a life changing decision like this without consulting a spouse or significant other, or the offer is simply to good to refuse. In reality though this answer requires a bit of deliberation. The caveat is, especially now, that one probably will not have the luxury of taking several days to deliberate and decide. Most of the people I have found jobs for recently have been hired because of an individual strength or ability that an employer is not willing to pass up. A pressing need, perceived or real, has been created and the longer one waits to answer the quicker this need will dwindle. I equate it a bit to buying a car. Most times people set out to look at cars and this action quickly builds into a real desire to have the car now. This same emotional state is very present in the hiring process and must be acknowledged. Since an answer is expected in a matter hours or at most a day it is absolutely critical that you are ready to do just that.
The ability to give such and answer in such a short amount of time really stems from the activity that went on earlier in the process. Remember back to the the exercise you went through to answer the question of tell me about yourself. The thought process should also have revealed a lot of the information you will need now. The information is rarely quantifiable. The answers usually come from the realizations of what am I working for?, why am I working in the first place?, how will this effect my family, life and goals?, do I like these people? and simply will I want to wake up in the morning and go here? If you have thought through, and talked through with your spouse, these elements you should have known for quite a while now if this is the right position.
Assuming that you are made a fair offer ACCEPT IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Way too many people think that there should be some sort of negotiation just because there should be. Often times when people try to engage in a back and forth negotiation after the fact inevitably some issues will arise that spoil the whole offer. If you take away anything from this post take this away, TIME KILLS ALL DEALS! The feeling begins to fade, reservation sets in, won business is lost, the CEO’s brother in law needs a job and a last minute internal candidates presents themselves are all very real situations you must contend with and be aware of.
Now, if the offer is acceptable but you would like to have an additional element included that was either overlooked or not discussed it is perfectly acceptable to address this. Do not approach this in an antagonistic manner. Go directly to the hiring authority and address it honestly. An instance that comes to mind is with professional fees. To tell the hiring authority that you appreciate the offer and that everything looks good is the best way to start. Then add that you did want to find out if they pay for, or would be willing to pay for, professional fees. This approach is usually not perceived as any sort of ultimatum and it gives the hiring authority the chance to be a hero as well gives them latitude in approving or seeking approval for such a request. The same approach can applied to salary.
Say you have been discussing 70K during the process and then an offer is made at 60K. By approaching the hiring authority (in person if possible) with gratitude and a small bit of humility goes a long way. Preface your request by saying that you a flattered and that you appreciate the offer then going on to say something like, “My family and I think this is an acceptable offer and I really want to part of your firm, however if you would be able to increase the offer to “X” amount it would really help our financial situation”. This my seem a bit hat in hand on the surface, but to do this directly and with resolve is very effective. Again it gives the hiring authority the chance to be the good guy without giving any sort of ultimatum. Keep in mind that if it is perceived as all or nothing the employer most likely has a second option to pursue. The biggest variable in doing this is obviously the “X” amount. In the previous scenario if there is no way you can survive on 60K it must be asked. When you do present your “X” amount know why you are asking for this. Don’t do it if you are just trying to leverage more money. Although this can work, it can just as easily blow up in your face. If the employer responds that 60K is all they can offer then you know for sure and must weight all of the factors. If the employer is able to increase the offer financially or with whatever you are seeking, BE READY TO ACCEPT RIGHT THEN! If everything went according to the scenarios in the previous posts the offer of 60K was their best offer. If they are able to increase it usually involved special approvals or budgetary maneuvering. If they go through this and then you ask for more time to consider it not only will they be put off but they may also be made to look ineffective to the people they had to get approval from. This is an absolute recipe for disaster.
I will cover dealing with multiple offers later. If this is something you are dealing with currently consider yourself very lucky. You can feel free to write me if you do need immediate assistance with that or any other job search situation.
In my next post I will cover the dreaded resignation.
I have also finally joined the world of Twitter, so you can follow my postings and searches there as well. My Twitter address is: http://twitter.com/Tom_Lamson
