Personally, I love negotiating salaries, because I keep emotion out of the equation. My view about money has always been combined with a feeling of play. Over time, I’ve gotten incrementally better at my own negotiations as well. Professionally, I’ve negotiated tens of thousands of dollars and never broken a sweat. Together, we strive to find the middle ground. The perception I leave with an employer is that I am fair, honest and direct. It’s money — nothing more than a bunch of zeros on the end of a number. For years, professionals (accountants, engineers, developers) have asked me how I do it, and I’d like to share with you my techniques.

An Overview

Let’s start at the very beginning and define negotiation. Negotiation is the process by which two parties with different needs and goals work together to find a mutually beneficial and acceptable solution. Make no mistake, successful negotiation involves business skills as well as interpersonal skills. Often, people look at the negotiating conversation as unpleasant, because it implies conflict and anger. Learning how to negotiate from a non-emotional point will greatly increase the chance that the outcomes will be positive for both parties.

Salary negotiations should never become hostile; neither party will feel good about the outcome if things turn sour. In such circumstances, fear can sometimes manifest itself as anger — a surefire negotiation killer. There is no reason to fear negotiations. Simply put: you have the right to ask for what you want. The prospective employer may or may not grant the request, but you should always ask. For you won’t know unless you ask.

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