Job Offer Negotiation and Evaluation Quiz

Negotiating a Job Offer: Tips and Guidelines

• Negotiating a job offer involves developing a list of negotiation points and prioritizing them
• Even if an offer seems acceptable, there may be room for improvement through negotiation
• Certain aspects of an employment offer are non-negotiable, such as stock option plan structure and confidentiality policies
• Salary and benefits have likely been negotiated before the written offer, but there may be room to improve variable pay
• When negotiating, consider the overall package including relocation, disposable income, and property equity
• Asking for an early performance and remuneration review can provide protection in case of organizational changes
• Negotiating broader responsibilities or a different job title may be more successful for senior roles or in less bureaucratic organizations
• The best time to negotiate is when you have a written offer of employment in hand
• Before negotiations, make a complete list of points to improve or add to the offer and establish minimum acceptable levels for each
• Consider alternatives and fallback positions if the terms of the offer are not close to your minimum levels of acceptability
• Keep other job search initiatives going and evaluate opportunities from other organizations
• Gather information about the organization's position, standard compensation levels, incentives, and authority of the person negotiating the deal

Managing References and Evaluating Job Offers

• Guidelines for managing references include selecting relevant individuals and gaining explicit permission before providing their names to prospective employers
• It is increasingly common for organizations to ask for references from a 360° perspective, including peers, subordinates, and clients
• Organizations are reluctant to provide references for former employees due to fear of legal liability, with many only confirming name, title, and dates of employment
• Dealing with no-reference policies can involve approaching former co-workers and bosses who have since joined other companies, or scripting a leaving story for reference-checking processes
• Potentially negative references, particularly from a recent boss, should be handled honestly and openly, with a focus on negotiation and preemptive explanation to prospective employers
• The compatibility of personal values and style with a prospective employer’s culture is central to job satisfaction and success
• If uncomfortable with a potential employer’s culture at the initial stages, it is unlikely to improve over time, prompting a reconsideration of accepting an offer
• Analyzing fit with an organization’s culture involves considering workplace values, norms, behaviors, and intuition, and may require further research and conversations
• Upon receiving a written offer of employment, a thorough analysis of the position, the people, and the organization is recommended, especially when considering multiple opportunities
• A worksheet can be used to evaluate job offers, even if there is only one written offer, to compare the terms of possible alternatives and make an informed decision
• The evaluation worksheet can help in deciding if it’s worth taking the risk of losing one opportunity while waiting for another
• The offer of employment can be conditional upon final reference checks, and it is important to thank reference providers in writing regardless of the outcome