Want to get the best possible terms from a prospective employer without it affecting you being hired? Learn how from Associate Professor of Organisational Gillian Ku.

1. How do you get the best possible package from
a prospective employer without making them
think twice about hiring you? Gillian Ku explains.
8 ways to negotiate
your new job offer

2. 2
8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
1. Prepare
You need to work out what’s
important to you and gather
information about the
organisation.
• Beyond salary, what are all the
issues you’d care to negotiate?
• Would you prefer to be in
London making £100,000 or
Paris earning €100,000?
• Who else is being considered?
• What does the market look like?

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8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
2. Think about your
salary expectations
“How much do you want?”
Know the answer to this even
before your interview.
• Give a realistic (and optimistic)
answer
• Don’t give your current salary
as the organisation may more
or less meet that figure
• Sometimes, it’s better to say
that you’re interested in the
overall package than to answer
the question directly.
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4. 4
8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
3. Don’t negotiate one
thing at a time
Negotiating one issue at a
time can be a trap. You have
a better chance of reaching a
mutually-beneficial agreement
by negotiating all the elements
of your job package – say,
salary and holiday allowance
– together. This allows you to
find trade-offs.

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8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
4. Learn when to
stop pushing
Negotiating is a balance
between pushing for what you
want and pulling back before
you damage the relationship.
Roleplaying the situation can
help. Prepare answers such
as, “This job offer is exciting,
but if there’s any way you can
help me on this final issue I’d
really appreciate it”.

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8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
5. Keep your options open
Your greatest source of
power is your alternatives.
You should actively cultivate
more alternatives by
interviewing more broadly.
Though time-consuming,
you are stronger in the
negotiation because you’re
less dependent on this offer
and can ask for more.
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7. 7
8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
6. Have a mutually
beneficial mindset
Frame what you want in the
mutual interest of the two
parties. If you’re asking for a
higher salary, say, “I have a
new family and I need to make
sure I can comfortably provide
for them. If not, it’s difficult
to dedicate my full time and
energy to this job.” This says
that you’re trying to form
a long-term, collaborative
relationship.
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8. 8
8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
7. Involve the hiring
manager
HR may be less willing to flex
your offer because they need
to maintain consistency, so try
and involve your new boss.
Keep in mind that your new
boss has interviewed and likes
you, so they may be willing to
flex more.

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8 ways to negotiate your new job offer
8. Don’t act unethically
You don’t need hardball
tactics like coming in with
a sky-high first offer. Doing
so could jeopardise your
reputation. Don’t lie about
your current salary either. Your
new employer will ultimately
find out the truth. If you’re
evading a question, make that
clear. Gamesmanship is widely
accepted, acting unethically
is not.

10. Gillian Ku is an Associate Professor of
Organisational Behaviour at London
Business School.
The full blog post was published on
London Business School Review.
Visit the website: www.london.edu/lbsr