Here’s a question I’ve been hearing a lot of lately.

Question: What’s My Negotiating Leverage?

Dear Lauryn:

I’m currently unemployed but I just got an offer. The problem is that they’re offering me less than I’m worth. But it’s a good job and I desperately want to get back to being employed and I’m afraid that negotiating too hard could cost me the offer. What should I do?

Squeamish in Secaucus

Lauryn’s Answer: Don’t Back Off from Negotiating

Dear Squeamish:

Stand up for yourself. The fact that you’re unemployed might limit your options somewhat but it doesn’t eliminate your value. Unemployment didn’t rob you of your skills and experience. You’re the same person you were when you had a job—the person the company wants enough to tender you an offer. Feeling confident is your legitimate right. Displaying confidence not only won’t cost you the offer but will likely reaffirm your value in the eyes of the company.

Of course, confidence don’t confuse confidence with arrogance. Job negotiations invariably call for a blend of firmness and diplomacy. Ask don’t demand. And don’t expect to get everything you ask for. The key to negotiation is to identify your most important demands and the ones you’re willing to trade off to secure them.

Another piece of advice: Don’t shut down your job search just because you have an offer in hand. Use the confidence that comes with receiving that first offer to build momentum. Over the years, many executives and managers have told me that once they get one offer, others seem to follow. So keep talking to other employers and soon you might find that companies will be competing for your services.

Sincerely yours,

Lauryn

Conclusion

The moral: Job negotiations aren’t just for the people who already have jobs. I understand that being unemployed diminishes your options and your leverage. But there’s a significant difference between expedience and desperation. Accepting slightly less than your worth might be unavoidable in this market; but selling yourself completely short just to land a job is an act of desperation that’s bound to come back and bite you in the long term.

Wishing you career success,

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet, www.execunet.com

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