Negotiating Your SalaryOkay, once you have determined these bargaining factors and
learned the techniques of open-door negotiating, having a con-
versation about your salary will be like a walk in the park.
Leticia’s Story
One of my clients, Leticia, was terrified about negotiating, and
she told me that she had spent more than an hour holding her
ground and reiterating her value to the company until, Voilà!
She managed to go from an initial offer of $37,500 with medical
and dental benefits to $51,000 plus bonuses, medical, dental, and
vision coverage—plus a 14-day paid vacation and tuition reim-
bursement.
Interestingly enough, the interviewer left the room several
times and insisted she had gone to her boss and that her boss had
gone to the vice president, and that they absolutely refused to
budge. But, because Leticia knew how to perform above and
beyond the functions listed in the job description, and she had
examples to prove it, the company finally caved in, though not
without a lot of “drama.”
It may look, in the final hour, as though the employer is
about to fall flat on the floor and die before handing you the top
rate for your talents, but I haven’t gotten a report of a serious
casualty yet. Hold out!
Open-Door Negotiating
Remember Stephan, who doubled his offer and got an expand-
ed benefits package? Like Leticia, he used the techniques of
open-door negotiating. Open-door negotiating may not be what
you usually think of when you think about striking a bargain with
an employer. There’s no threatening behavior, no fists on the
desk, no high-pitched voices, and no tones of finality. In fact, it’s
important that before I explain what open-door negotiating is, I
tell you what it is not.
What Open-Door Salary Negotiation Is Not
I’d like to debunk some commonly held myths by telling you
what negotiating is not: