Is My Job Offer Negotiable?

You’ve invested some effort in getting the offer you’re considering. Truth be told, you’d hoped it would be a little bit higher. So, is your job offer negotiable?

If you ask the employer, he’ll expect you to start negotiating. Negotiating, of course, refers to give-and-take. What can you give if you want to take more money? And no, you can’t just say that you won’t give them ‘you.’ You have already offered you.’ That’s what got you the offer in the first place.

If money is what you want, the plain fact is that you need to ask for a specific number. Don’t say you had “hoped for more” and expect the employer to read your mind. If your ask-for number is 10%, or more, higher than the offer, there are two possibilities:

1. You have a misinformed view of your value in the market (check this out)
2. You are interviewing for a position you will grow to dislike in a short time.

If your specific number is 5%, or less, higher than the offer, you have a shot. You still must make your case for why. And you must focus on value. Are you walking in with plenty of the experience your new employer needs? Are you bringing a skill set they want to add? Can you commit to a faster start date?

Here are steps you can follow:

• Start with a quick review of why this is a great opportunity. (If you don’t think so, why are you interviewing?)
• Make your ask. Make a point or two about your value, “which leads me to ask you to increase the starting salary to $X.”
• Offer ‘think about it’ time; “a day or so if you’d like.”
• Be prepared to say an enthusiastic “yes” to whatever the answer is.

You can increase a job offer more often than you might think. You will get one shot. Just don’t ask about negotiating.