This is Part III of a three-part series on negotiating. Find Part I here and Part II here.
“What happens if you negotiate and get a no?”
Last week, we covered how to actually initiate the negotiation. But what happens if you get a big, fat N.O.?!
Quick answer
Knowing how to handle a no is a critical part of being a stronger negotiator. You need to prepare your response to a no in a negotiation ahead of time because you don’t want to make an emotional decision. Planning ahead will ensure you have a thoughtful, rational response instead of a knee-jerk reaction to a rejection.
(Suggested responses are below in the detailed answer!)
Detailed answer
You should role play getting a no in your negotiation and practice the response you would want to use. In some cases, a no won’t deter you from accepting a new job or staying with your company. Other times, the writing is on the wall and you need to plan your exit strategy.
You get a no at your current job
“Can you give me a sense of what it would take for me to earn that raise?”
An important takeaway in Broke Millennial Talks Money came from Alison Green, author of Ask a Manager.
Green points out that if your manager is struggling to answer that simple question, that lack of an answer is really important information to you. You want your manager to at least be able to come up with something, because it indicates that if you can’t have the raise conversation now, it’s a possibility in the future.
“If she’s so vague that, reading between the lines, it seems like she’s saying that would never happen, that’s really important for you to know,” says Green.
Another option is to continue the negotiation efforts for something beyond salary.
“It’s really important to me to raise my salary. I think something like $X would be more in line with the market, but if you can’t do that, it would be a great benefit to me to be able to [insert request here, e.g., have flex time or professional development funds.]”
If a failed negotiation means you’re being underpaid at your current job, or you feel there’s an imbalance (like doing more tasks than should be required for your position), then you should seriously consider sprucing up the resume and job hunting. It’s always a stronger position to quit – or attempt to renegotiate – with another job offer on the table.
However, before you ever bring up a new job offer in a negotiation, you need to decide if you’re really willing to walk away. It’s quite possible your manager will say, “So sorry, we can’t match that salary, best of luck at the new job.”
Don’t play that hand if you aren’t truly willing to accept the new offer.
You get a no during an interview process
You get a no, but still want the job:
“You know, I really appreciate your considering it, but I’m excited about the job and I’d love to accept regardless.”
A no is a dealbreaker for you:
“I appreciate you considering it, but unfortunately I won’t be able to accept the position at the proposed salary.”
Is it always appropriate to negotiate?
As a bonus topic, what happens if your company is struggling in the current economic climate? Should you be trying to negotiate if layoffs happened recently?
It is important to know when it’s appropriate to ask for more. Points when you should not be trying to negotiate include:
You recently started your job.
You’ve been receiving critical feedback/struggling with performance issues.
However, it’s not entirely off the table to ask for a raise when your company is struggling or going through layoffs. It just is a “read the room” situation. If you’ve been with the company for years and haven’t received a significant raise while also taking on more job responsibility, well, it’s time for a serious chat with your manager. At the very least, you should go back to a script from last week’s newsletter: “I’m hoping we can revisit my salary; it’s been [insert time] since it was last set and I’m hoping we might be able to increase it.”
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