Offer/Salary Negotiation
When navigating the challenging, yet exciting time of negotiating and accepting your first full-time job offer, there are many decisions that need to be thoughtfully considered. Your decisions when accepting and negotiating your first role are reflective of yourself, but also of UNL. Please review UNL’s job offer expectations for students and employers.
Evaluating Offers
Evaluating multiple job offers, or even just one, can be challenging and should not be rushed. Keep in mind the following things to ensure you are making an informed decision.
Values
Everyone has different things they value when it comes to evaluating a job offer. It’s important that you are able to identify the aspects of a job, outside of salary, that are important to you. Some common things to consider are:
- Industry
- Office culture
- Benefits
- Flexibility
- Location
- Type of Work or Position
Evaluating Multiple Offers
It can be overwhelming and difficult to evaluate or decide between multiple offers when the right decision may feel unclear. You may also be balancing multiple deadlines, which can make the experience feel rushed. Consider the following steps when evaluating multiple offers.
- Step 1:
- Decline offers from employers that you are no longer considering. It is recommended to have 2 (3 at most) that you are seriously considering
- Step 2:
- Prioritize remaining offers in a ranked list based on the values you previously identified. Example:
| Company: XYZ Organization | Position Offered: Sales Representative | Date: September 20XX |
| Value | Rating | General Comments |
| 2 | Close to what I hoped to be doing by graduation, can look for advancement opportunities in a few years
|
| 3 | By far the best offer I received |
| 1 | Has a very high deductible. Something to consider, especially as I’ll need to start paying this on my own |
| 2 | Standard of two weeks, with gaining more days by end of year 1 |
- Step 3:
- Try to align your timelines as much as possible. If you don’t have an offer from your top employer yet, but do from a lower ranked one, it may be time to reach out to your top choice! Try sending an email like the example below or reaching out via phone to see where you are in the process.
Hello Jane Smith:
This is Alex Business and I am inquiring about my status for the ___ position. I have just received a job offer from another company, but I am very interested in this position and your organization. Therefore, I wanted to see where you were in the process and whether I was still being considered as a viable candidate. The other company has requested an answer to their offer by (DATE). If I am still being considered, what is your anticipated hiring and offering timeline?
- You may also reach out to the other company to request more time to submit your decision while you wait for a response from your top choice. We recommend reaching out with the method of communication you’ve been using with the recruiter or hiring committee (generally phone or email). Below is another sample script for this conversation.
Hello John Doe:
This is Alex Business. I am very excited about the job offer for the ____ position with your organization. As this is my first full-time position, I would like the opportunity to make the most informed decision possible. I remain very interested in this offer, and respectfully request an additional week to make a decision.
- Step 4:
- Make a decision. Sometimes things don’t line up, but remember to stay ethical throughout the process. Never accept a job offer that you’re not sure you will follow through on, just to hold time as you’re waiting for a different job offer.
Remember that there will likely never be a perfect offer. Many entry-level jobs can have aspects to them that are not always exciting. Entry-level positions provide continued learning and growth, but above all, saying “yes” to your first offer is about being true to yourself and your values.
Negotiation
Negotiation is the final step in your job offer/acceptance process. Typically internship offers don’t have a lot of room for negotiation, but when evaluating offers for your first full-time role, as well as those later in your career, you may have room to negotiate.
Market Value
The first key aspect to negotiation is understanding your market value. Your market value is something that can increase over time in the following ways:
- Experience/Reputation: As you gain experience, you will also likely build a reputation within your first organization. It’s important to build a positive brand that will travel with you as you move into higher roles.
- Niche/Expertise: As you work, you may develop specific areas of expertise, making you a subject matter expert in a certain area that’s valuable to an organization.
- Education/Credentials/Affiliations: Continuing education or pursuing additional credentialing or involvement with professional organizations will also increase your value to an organization.
- Specific Skills: These can set you apart, especially when you develop in-demand technical skills.
What Even is Negotiable?
Keep in mind when negotiating that there are aspects of a job offer that may not be negotiable. See the table below for ideas of what you can and cannot negotiate (most of the time).
Usually Negotiable
- Offer Deadline
- Start Date
- Salary
- Signing Bonus
- Relocation Expenses
Sometimes Negotiable
- Remote Work
- Title
- Location
- Performance Bonus/Review
- Non-Compete Agreements
- Vacation
Rarely Negotiable
- Standard Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Non-Disclosure Agreements
- Retirement
Research
Before engaging in negotiation conversations, you need to complete research on the following areas to ensure you are coming to the table with knowledge and insights to back up your requests.
- Alumni Salary Data: What have past alums usually made based on your major?
- Check the Career and Student Outcomes on UNL’s Career Services Website (link)
- Location: What is the cost of living where you plan to live?
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, search for “Wage Data by Area”
- Job Role Level/Years of Experience: What does this job role typically pay? What level will you be? (entry, mid, senior)
- Glassdoor, salary.com, Payscale, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics are all great resources
- Industry: What is the salary range for this industry?
- Industries share benchmarking reports regarding salary ranges through professional associations.
- Professional Insight: Individuals who work for the organization or industry you hope to work in will have insight on what pay should be.
- Utilize your network
At the end of the day, there’s no magic number to aim for when it comes to salary negotiation. You need to rely on your research and keep in mind the other benefits you may be receiving from the job offer when crafting your salary negotiation. It is recommended to not ask for over 10% of the offered salary when negotiating.
The Negotiation Process
- Research: You must start with solid research to understand and best present your market value to employers
- Approach Early: It’s important to begin negotiation conversations early after an offer is made. This shows your interest and dedication to the role. This is also the time to bring up competing offers if you have them.
- Negotiation conversations are best conducted either in person, on the phone, or via video conference.
- Appreciation: Always be positive and thank the employer for sitting down with you to discuss your offer.
- Bottom Line: You need to come to the table with your bottom line in mind. If an employer can’t meet what you’re asking for, do you have your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) in mind?
- Seal the Deal: When you’ve reached an agreement, it’s time to accept that offer or withdraw and move on to the next opportunity.
Sample Script
We realize negotiation conversations can be difficult and nerve-wracking. We recommend rehearsing a script like the one below with a Career Coach to feel more prepared and comfortable in your negotiation conversations.
Thank you so much for this offer! I am excited about the role and the work that (ORGANIZATION) is doing and would love to join the team. However, according to my research (EXPLAIN RESEARCH), the typical salary range for somebody with my qualifications in this role is (SALARY ASK). Would you be able to match that figure?
Accepting/Declining the Offer
Accepting or declining your first offer can be an exciting and stressful time. Here are our guidelines for accepting and declining offers.
1.
Negotiation: Remember that negotiation of the terms of your offer needs to be complete before formally accepting the role. You never need to accept a job on the spot. Employers should give you a reasonable amount of time to think and prepare for negotiations.
2.
Accept the Offer: You should give both a verbal and written confirmation of your acceptance. An employer should present you with a formal written offer outlining the terms of employment including start date and salary. If they do not provide you with this, you should ask for those things in writing before formally accepting. At this point, you may also be made aware of any contingencies or hiring paperwork that you need to complete before the acceptance can be made official, such as a drug test or background check.
3.
Decline Offer(s): Once you have accepted an offer, you will want to decline any other offers you have received and/or withdraw from any additional interview processes you may be waiting to hear back from. Remember, if you are already employed and plan to leave your current position for the new role, it is standard practice to give your current employer two weeks notice (or more). This notice should also be given verbally and in writing, if possible.
Sample Script Accepting an Offer
PHONE:
Hello (recruiter/company name):
This is Alex Business. I am calling today regarding the offer for (POSITION). I want to thank you again for the offer, and I am pleased to formally accept the position. This is a great opportunity, and I am excited to be a part of the team. Please let me know of the next steps in the process.
EMAIL:
Hello (recruiter/company name):
It is with great pleasure that I accept your offer to work for (ORGANIZATION) as a (POSITION). I am excited to get started and work with the team.
As discussed, I plan to begin my employment on (DATE), at an annual salary of (SALARY). In the meantime, if there is any paperwork that requires completion, please contact me at (CONTACT INFO).
I look forward to working at (ORGANIZATION) and appreciate the opportunity.
Sincerely,
(INSERT SIGNATURE)
(NAME)
Sample Script Declining an Offer
PHONE:
Hello (recruiter/company name):
This is Alex Business. I wanted to call and thank you again for the offer for the (POSITION). It has been an incredibly difficult decision but unfortunately, I wanted to let you know that I will be accepting another offer. I truly appreciate your consideration and hope to stay connected.
EMAIL:
Hello (recruiter/company name):
As I mentioned during our recent phone conversation, I regret to inform you that I am declining your offer of employment with (ORGANIZATION) as a (POSITION). I have accepted another position that, currently, is a better fit with my skills and interests.
Thank you for your offer and your confidence in my abilities. Please extend my appreciation to your entire team for the exceptional courtesy and helpfulness they demonstrated while I visited (ORGANIZATION). It made the interview process a pleasant experience, and I hope to stay connected.
Sincerely,
(INSERT SIGNATURE)
(NAME)