与未来的老板进行积极有效的谈判就好像是在玩扑克牌的游戏中胜出。两者都要求你在玩牌的时候非常小心,不让别人知道你的牌如何,不让别人看出你的情绪,知道什么时候该跟牌,而什么时候该放弃。只是注意当你进入事业这个大赌场的时候,千万不要把扑克——谈判这个比喻太当真了。
不幸的是,许多求职者恰恰就是那样。薪金和谈判版上的那些问题很明显地反映出求职者把谈判当作他们与我们之间的一种对抗性的游戏。最好的方法应该是充分考虑好合理的薪水期望值,这应该是建立在我们能展示的并且符合工作要求的经验、能力、培训和教育的基础之上。你的最终目标应该是双方达成一致,从而为发展良好的工作关系打下基础。
不过,你还是有办法出一手好牌:
应付好发牌者
在扑克游戏当中发牌者就是决定这把牌该怎么玩的人。在薪金谈判当中,未来的老板通常扮演的就是这个角色。在玩牌时,发牌者可能会要求玩家下一个或者更多的筹码来继续游戏。在薪金谈判当中,老板可能会要求求职者给出他过去的薪水情况或者薪金要求。如果你想成为老板心目当中这份工作的人选之一,那就不得不把这些筹码放在桌上。
知道你的底牌是什么
在扑克游戏中,底牌的价值在于最后的那几张牌。最好的底牌叫做同花顺,而最差的底牌当中连个对子也凑不上。在薪金谈判当中,如果你有特殊的技能、经历,经受过很好的训练或者专业培训,你的底牌可以被列入到同花顺的范围当中;又或者你没有太多可以拿得出手的条件,但是你有努力学习和工作的决心。你应该知道在薪金谈判的过程当中,自己的底牌是什么,而对于老板来说是否值得花这个价钱来雇用你。
冒险加注
在玩扑克牌的时候,当有的玩家手上的牌很烂,但是为了让别人相信自己有一手好牌,会主动下注或者加注,从而逼迫那些手上牌很好的玩家放弃。像在扑克游戏当中一样,主动加注在薪金谈判当中同样是一种危险的策略。比如说,为了让未来的老板给你开出一个更高的薪水而虚报过去的薪水很有可能会让你失去工作机会。
在手中握有好牌的情况下加注
在玩扑克牌的时候,玩家可以跟其他玩家下的注或者加注。玩家也可以选择把自己的牌翻过来扔到桌上来放弃这一局。在薪金谈判当中,求职者可以接受老板提供的薪水,也可以提出更高的薪金要求,还可以选择放弃这个工作机会。这个时候求职者表现出的侵略性很大意义上取决于他需要或者渴望得到这份工作的程度,他现在是否已经有了一份工作以及他的条件资历。现在已经有一份工作的求职者手上的牌比起那些正处于失业状态的求职者来说要好得多。
为自己的薪水下注
在扑克游戏当中,当你知道自己的牌很好的时候,通常一个很好的策略就是留在游戏当中并且最后一个下注。如果其他玩家对他们自己的牌失去信心,他们可能会放弃,你就成为了赢家。在薪金谈判当中,把你的薪金要求保持在你预定的范围之内通常是个成功的策略,特别是当你和老板都知道你非常适合这份工作的时候。
面对现实,适时地选择放弃
即使是最优秀的扑克玩家也不能够每一把都赢。在薪金谈判当中,如果你知道你的技术、能力、培训、教育背景以及经验都不是很符合这份工作的要求,或者有另外50个和你一样优秀的求职者在和你竞争这份工作,或许你没有太多的空间来商量薪金的问题,特别是在你非常需要这份工作的时候,那么在谈判桌上接受这份薪水也许就是最好的赌注。
Know When to Hold 'Em
Negotiating effectively with a prospective employer is a little like winning at poker. Both necessitate you to play your cards close to the vest, maintain a poker face, know when to hold and know when to fold. Just don't take the poker/negotiating comparison too far when you enter the career casino.
Unfortunately, many job seekers do just that. Questions asked on the Salary and Negotiation Board clearly indicate that job seekers view negotiating as an adversarial game of them versus us. The best approach is to be fully prepared with reasonable salary expectations based on demonstrable experience, ability, training and education that match the job's requirements. Your ultimate goal should be to reach mutually agreeable terms that set the stage for a positive working relationship.
Nevertheless, there are steps you can take to play your cards right:
Deal with the Dealer
The dealer in poker is the player who gets to decide the rules of the hand being played. In salary negotiations, the prospective employer often inherits that role. In poker, the dealer may require the players to ante up one or more chips into the pot to play. In salary negotiations, the employer may require the job seeker to ante up his salary history or requirements. If you want to stay in consideration for the job, you may have to put these chips on the table.
Know Your Hand
In poker, a hand's value depends on the cards in it. The highest hand is called a royal flush, and the lowest hand has no two cards of the same value. In salary negotiations, if you have unique skills or experience, highly valued training or highly specialized education, you may be up in the royal flush range. Or you may have very little to offer, except the willingness to learn and work hard. You need to know what's in your salary-negotiating hand and what it will likely be worth to the employer.
Bluff at Your Own Risk
In poker, bluffing occurs when a player raises a bet on a weak hand, forcing out players with stronger hands. As in poker, bluffing is a dangerous tactic in salary negotiation. For instance, lying about previous salary in an attempt to bluff the prospective employer into a higher offer may get you tossed from the table.
Raise on a Strong Hand
When playing poker, a player may either call by matching the amount already bet or raise by adding extra chips. The player also has the option to fold by throwing his hand face down. In salary negotiations, the job seeker can call the job offer by accepting it, raise the bet by proposing a higher counteroffer or fold by opting not to further pursue the job prospect. How aggressively the job seeker plays at this point depends largely on how badly he needs or wants the job, whether or not he's currently employed and his qualifications. The job seeker who is currently employed has a much stronger hand to play than someone who's out of work.
Call Your Salary Range
In poker, it's often a good strategy to at least stay in the game and call the last bet when you know you have a solid hand. If the other players lose confidence in the strength of the hand they're holding, they may fold and you'll come out the winner. In salary negotiations, holding your salary requirements within the range you've established, especially if you and the prospective employer know you're a good match for the job, can often be a successful strategy.
Fold in the Face of Reality
Even the best poker players don't win every hand. In salary negotiations, if you know your skills, abilities, training, education or experience aren't an ideal match for the job or you're going after a job that 50 other equally qualified candidates are seeking, you may not have much room to negotiate salary, especially if you need a job. Simply accepting the offer on the table may be the best bet.