A Negotiation Coach Tackles Your Burning Salary Negotiation Questions
Written by Francesca Keller Sarmiento, WIN Staff
According to personal finance site NerdWallet, only 38% of recent graduates negotiate their salary upon receiving a job offer. A lot of recent graduates or entry level associates mistakenly think that they have little to no negotiating power. As our negotiation expert Courtney Chicvak says, negotiating for yourself is crucial even at an entry level, not just in terms of getting more for yourself, but also in demonstrating your potential to employers and showing them you are an able negotiator and confident in your skillset. In fact, in the same study by NerdWallet, of the 700 employers in the study, almost 90% of them said an entry-level candidate would not be putting their job offer at risk by negotiating their salary.
We sat down with Courtney Chicvak, a professional mediator and WIN negotiation coach, and asked her our most burning questions on how to tackle our first salary negotiation:
If it's my first job offer, should I negotiate my salary?
Yes! Not only should you negotiate to get more for yourself, but it is also a way to demonstrate to your potential employer that you are a competent negotiator and have confidence in your skillset. Negotiation skills are a part of many roles, either formally or informally, and critical in any workplace position as you build relationships in your team and in the organization overall. Engaging early on in a productive salary negotiation is one of your first opportunities to showcase your skills and make a positive impression.
What's the best negotiation tactic you've found based on your experience?
Preparation is critical to perform well during any negotiation. When preparing, make sure to include identifying your goals and your walkaway point during the negotiation, as well as your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) through research. We are fortunate to have many resources available, like our own professional networks and the internet, to gain information. Also, negotiation is a relationship-based process, so consider both your perspective and your counterpart's perspective when preparing.
What is your advice for someone nervous about negotiating?
Practice! There are a few ways to do so. You can ask a friend to rehearse the negotiation, and you can practice in front of the mirror or even record yourself to see how you are coming across. When you practice, make sure to practice asking questions, rejecting an offer, and making a counteroffer. Also, imagine how the person you are negotiating with will perceive your actions.
Is there something I should not say when I get to the negotiation table?
There are many ways to create value during a salary negotiation. If you are feeling stuck on the salary number, see if there is an opportunity to negotiate a benefit with a non-monetary value attached to it. For example, if you can arrange free childcare or work from home for three days a week.
We hope these answers empower you to take on your first negotiation. Personally, one of my key takeaways is the amount of self-reflection that needs to go on before we walk into a negotiation. From making sure to identify our goals or what our walkaway point is, to what our Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) is, self-reflection is crucial to prepare for and tackle any negotiation.
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More About Courtney Chicvak
Courtney Chicvak
WIN Coach
Courtney Chicvak mediates commercial, divorce, employment and family/elder disputes. Chicvak completed mediation apprenticeships through both EAC Network and New York Peace Institute and is a Volunteer Mediator and Lemon Law Arbitrator with both organizations, as well as a Volunteer Mediator with the MediateArt program and New York State Nassau County Supreme Court. She is an Associate Instructor for Introduction to Negotiation and Introduction to Mediation at Columbia University, and an Online Adjunct Instructor at Grand Canyon University, where she teaches Negotiation and Conflict as well as Argumentation and Advocacy. She is also a New York State Certified Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
Prior to founding her mediation practice, Chicvak worked in labor and employee relations in the healthcare and tech industries. An attorney in New York, Chicvak earned her B.S. at Cornell University, her M.S. at Columbia University and her J.D. at St. John's University School of Law.
