Welcome Back! In today’s segment of Job Offer Etiquette we will be discussing Job Offer Negotiation. Receiving a job offer is the moment all candidates wait for. Similar to playing chess, candidates will have to be meticulous and smart about the moves they make. Whether you are accepting, rejecting or looking to negotiate you must thoroughly think it through.

Negotiating Salary

You’ve received the job offer. You’ve reviewed it and the offer does not meet your expectations. Firstly, your expectations should have been clear to begin with. If you were up front and honest about what you were looking for from the start, then it is okay to negotiate. The offer may come in at a lower salary than your minimum. In this situation it is acceptable to proceed with negotiation.  Speak with the hiring manager.  Always express your interest in working with the organization but reiterate what your salary expectation is. This way you open up a dialogue with the hiring manager. You may get what you want in the end. They may offer you an extra week of vacation in lieu of salary. They may talk about bonuses, profit sharing or other incentives that will make up for the salary. Whatever the case may be, there is never any harm in discussing it.

Negotiating Benefits

Benefits are another area where candidates may look to negotiate. Candidates that are currently working may want to receive benefits right away versus after the probationary period. This is another appropriate scenario of when it is okay to negotiate. Again, take it up with the hiring manager. Typically, candidates who are currently working are more sought after and can use that as a reason to ask for benefits right away.

Negotiation Strategy

The job offer negotiation is a very sensitive subject. You want to handle yourself in a way that does not negatively impact you. One of the worst things a candidate can do is try to strong-arm the employer. If the offer was what you expected there is no reason for you to proceed with negotiating. Employers do not take kindly to this and just as quickly as they sent the job offer they can take it away. You will not only lose the opportunity but this will reflect poorly on you. Good luck in your job offer negotiation. 

Take a look at the situation and see if it is appropriate to negotiate. If what you are asking for is not outlandish and absurd then it is okay to move forward with negotiation. Job offer etiquette is very important. At one point or another in your career you will have a job offer to consider. You will either accept, reject, or want to negotiate. How you handle yourself will reflect directly upon you.

Haven’t read the whole series? Click here to read Part One on Accepting an Offer or Part Two on Rejecting an Offer.

 

 

Welcome back to Job Offer Etiquette! During this week’s discussion we will be talking about different ways to graciously reject a job offer. Now as we mentioned in Part One, getting a job offer is very exciting. But after looking through the offer and considering your future you may feel it’s best to reject the offer. Delivering bad news is always difficult, but it’s how we handle ourselves that can leave you with a positive outcome.

Firstly, there are many different reasons as to why a candidate would reject a job offer. The terms and conditions are not satisfactory, the employer may have offered below your salary expectations, or the benefits are subpar. The job description has described responsibilities that you are unwilling to accept. You received an offer from another organization and felt it was better to accept that one. Whatever the reason may be, you must notify the person who presented you the offer.

There are three main aspects to rejecting a job offer. First, you should always show your appreciation. In your email or call, thank them for the offer and their time. Second, get right into the reason why you are not accepting the offer. Always be political, for whatever reason you are rejecting the offer you must display how the opportunity was not right for you at this time. Lastly, always leave on a positive note. Thank them once again and suggest staying in touch. Sometimes because of the industry you’re in there are chances of running into each other in the future. It’s best to leave on that positive note and keep things friendly.

When rejecting a job offer you need to make sure it’s done promptly. There is nothing worse than sitting on the decision and making the employer wait. It reflects really poorly on you. Additionally, there is also nothing worse than not responding at all. Giving an employer no notice of your rejection can be detrimental to your career. As mentioned you may run into these people in the future. Imagine the awkward run in after not letting them know you rejected their offer. In Job Offer Etiquette Part One we talked about how exciting it is to get a job offer. But if you are rejecting the offer be meticulous in how you handle yourself. Every action you make is a direct reflection on yourself. Next week we will be discussing different scenarios where it is appropriate to counter the offer.

 

 

The journey of job searching is a long and arduous process.  Receiving a job offer is an exciting moment. This is where all your hard work in finding the right opportunity will finally pay off. In this three-part blog we will discuss different ways of handling the job offer. Today we will discuss accepting an offer.

One of the most important aspects of accepting a job offer is being meticulous. As the candidate you must read through the job offer very carefully. Take some time to understand whether it is something you are willing to accept. If there is something you don’t understand or need clarification on take a moment and ask. The hiring manager or staffing consultant can give you more details and help you understand. It is better to understand all aspects before signing rather than be blindsided after the fact. With that being said, get another set of eyes to go over your offer. A significant other or a friend may pick up on things that you may not have seen while initially reading the offer.

Offer letters vary from company to company. There are main points that should be clear and stipulated. They are as follows:

• Duties and Responsibilities
• Compensation and Benefits
• Probationary Period
• Work Schedule/Place of work
• Termination

These points should be clear and straight forward. The duties and responsibilities should state exactly what your job entails. It should also be what was described to you during the interview process. Compensation and benefits should be what you were expecting give or take. Companies will include more information on their own policies and how they operate. Just ensure that everything you are signing off on is exactly what you expected. Before signing off make sure the offer is signed off by the hiring authority at the company. This way you avoid running into potential issues that could come up.

Getting a job offer is very exciting! But due diligence will help ensure you are accepting the offer you wanted. Next time we will discuss how to graciously reject a job offer.