If I really need this job, shouldn't I just take what they offer? After all:
♦ The employer is probably cutting back, so why ask for more money?
♦ I Don't want to seem greedy.
♦ I could lose the offer.

That's right, too. You could lose the offer! The employer might re-enact the scene from Dickens' book, Oliver. He might scream at you indignantly, "More? You want more?" then summon security to have you bodily thrown out of the building.



A more likely scenario is this: 

1) You ask for more.
2) The employer says, "I'll see what I can do."
3) The employer offers the job to another candidate.

Bang! You lost. You are still out on the street looking for work.

OK, so it may be "hard times" for the employer-but what about you? you're not rolling in dough either. Maybe you're trying to recover from being out of work for a while.

Stuck in a double bind
You find yourself caught in a double bind.If you Don't negotiate, you lose money. If you DO negotiate, you can lose the job offer.

Ouch!



Is there anyway out of this double bind? Yes, it's a maneuver that minimizes the risk of negotiations and still leaves the opportunity to negotiate. I call it the "Lock Down." You lock down the offer the employer made before negotiating for more.

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Special offer:  For a limited time, you can download the 30th anniversary edition of Jack Chapman's book, Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1,000 A Minute, at no cost. Feel free to share this with anyone you think might benefit.



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How Does the Lock Down Maneuver Work?

The timing goes like this:
1) The boss make an offer or says she'll be putting one together.
2) Before you share your salary research and/or salary expectations, lock down the offer. That is, get an agreement that she won't "bail out" on you. You want her to hang in with your negotiations until you get to a "yes" or "no."

Here are three examples of wording.

1) "An offer! That's really good news. I presume this offer is firm, right? I would like to negotiate on a few points and want to make sure that the offer, as it now stands, is firm. Is that right?"

2) "An offer! That's really good news. There will probably be a few points to discuss about the package, and I have a question. Sometimes talking about money can get a little uncomfortable. I wouldn't affect the offer as it stands by discussing it, would I?"

3) I appreciate your offer, and would like to negotiate a point or two. Before I start, though, I want to make sure I wouldn't jeopardize the offer as is, would I?

Now, I should let you know that using the lock down maneuver will cost you some negotiating leverage, but that's the price of security. It doesn't guarantee they won't talk to an interloper, but it has the strength of a "handshake deal" if they agree.

An Even Safer Lock Down
There's an even safer lock down, but it gives up more negotiating power.

Of course, the strongest negotiating position is to convey "I'm willing to walk out on these negotiations. If you Don't come up with more money, Ms. Employer, you might lose me as a candidate." The lock down, above, signals the employer that if she does nothing, you won't walk away.

This next lock down goes beyond "signaling," and explicitly says, "I'll accept." It would sound like this. "Thanks for the offer. I can see you put some thought into it, and I think it is a fair offer. Now, I do have a couple things to discuss, but they're not deal breakers. If they can't be changed, I'd accept the offer as is. Could we discuss those without affecting the offer as is?"

This gives away almost all your negotiating leverage, but it is the strongest "safety" position. And, it's surprising how often my clients can still get more salary, benefits, perks, bonuses, etc., even though they have admitted they'd accept the offer as is.

Be sure to get your copy of my book--Jack Chapman