Negotiating the Offer as a Candidate

You’ve been offered the job—CONGRATULATIONS!

There are so many opportunities right now and it is exciting when you’ve found the one that resonates with you.

The news is full of stories and research indicating that women and historically excluded communities do not regularly negotiate after an offer is made.  This also tends to happen with people newer in their careers.

Here’s a couple of ideas that may help you look at the offer and decide if you’d like to negotiate:
1.  Is the pay within the range advertised and does it recognize your skill level?  You do have to be realistic about your skill level in comparison to the position—candidates generally assume they should be at the top of the range. Maybe you should be—but this isn’t the only area you have to negotiate, so don’t get stuck here.

2.  Vacation/PTO:  do you have a trip planned in the near future—negotiate to have that covered; is the 1st year PTO low—negotiate for a few extra hours or to start with an initial bank of hours. 

3.  Professional Development:  do you want a coach?  Is there a conference coming up?  Do you mentor someone else during work hours?  This is a great negotiation opportunity to get in writing skill-building and community-building work that is important to you.

4.  Review schedule:  is there a 90-day, 6-month and annual review?  If not, ask.  These are great times to make sure you are doing the work, get specific feedback and ask for a raise or additional support as you succeed in the role.

5.  Flex time:  with Covid, we’ve forgotten that many positions require in-office hours.  As we move into the new hybrid world, be respectful and open about what you are willing to do, what your boundaries are for email/phone/zoom calls and how you work.  This is a good place to understand the expectations of the position and the expectations of your supervisor and get information in writing.

There are a couple of areas in an offer letter that are harder to negotiate:  health insurance and retirement.  Go ahead and ask—don’t by shy.  But, many times these policies are renewable once a year and the organization is committed to a contract that limits their flexibility.  Know that, but be aware that a change in a start date may influence eligibility and can be a tool for you.