The topic of salary negotiation is always heavily debated for our clients and candidates. We often see candidates play their cards too close and/or try to leverage other job offers or counteroffers from their current employers. After being in the executive search field for over 15 years and working closely with executives hand in hand, it’s pretty common knowledge that once you accept a counteroffer from your current employer, you’re likely to have a target on your back as not being loyal. And leveraging another job offer vs a job offer leaves a bad taste in your future employer’s mouth.
Candidates need to remember that your career isn’t a poker game; you’re not trying to get the most money in a short period of time and then walk away from the table. Your career can span 40+ years, so focus on choosing good companies to work for, work hard, and the salary increases will be a byproduct. Let your salary rise organically from merit, not from leverage.
A quote from Dennis Theodorou at JMJ Phillip,
“Many candidates are confident in their negotiating skills, but according to Dennis Theodorou, Detroit, Michigan-based vice president of JMJ Phillip Executive Search, this confidence is misplaced. Theodorou says, “People look for a job every three years on average and negotiate a salary once or twice every three years, which means they’re not experts in salary negotiations.”
And this lack of knowledge can result in missteps. Below are some of the negotiation strategies that have the potential to backfire”.
A quote from Kristin Scarth of Employment BOOST, which is a member of JMJ Phillip Holdings,
“You may have interviewed with more than one company. However, don’t assume that companies are willing to match another employer’s offer, and don’t make the salary the determining factor. Kristin Scarth, a career services manager at Employment BOOST in Detroit, Mich., warns Investopedia readers that trying to leverage one job offer against another offer might be a short-sighted approach. “No two jobs are apple-to-apple, and if you’re trying to get one company to come up another $5,000 just because you have a better offer, it doesn’t mean that they’re going to comply–and it doesn’t mean that you should choose the highest-paying job.” Scarth advises candidates to weigh the pros and cons of each company and choose the organization that offers the best overall employment situation.”
To read the full article visit JMJ Phillip on Salary Negotiation