How to Negotiate Your Job Offer

August 17, 2013 10:33 PM

Professor Deepak Malhotra offers 15 pieces of negotiation advice, followed by Q&A, in an informal session for students at the Harvard Business School. (1 hr 5 min video).
posted by Jasper Friendly Bear (12 comments total)

Thanks for sharing this. I am about to ask for a raise for the first time and his advice has given me much to consider as I plan how I want to negotiate for said raise.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 11:50 PM on August 17, 2013 [4 favorites]

The related series by Malhotra, "Negotiating from a position of weakness," was extremely helpful for changing my perspective on something I have to do soon. Thanks.
posted by Philosopher Dirtbike at 3:53 AM on August 18, 2013 [10 favorites]

Thanks for sharing. Interesting.

Also interesting: a throw-away comment (sorry I don't remember the min/hr mark) that research suggests most Harvard Business School grads are not that happy 20 years out, in particular with regards to their work.
posted by quinoa at 8:32 AM on August 18, 2013 [1 favorite]

See also Malhotra's charming takedown of smarmy professional self-help texts in I Moved Your Cheese.
posted by trunk muffins at 8:59 AM on August 18, 2013 [1 favorite]

Years ago a coworker went back to school to get an MBA (he was going into management). He swore up and down that his negotiation class was worth the cost of tuition for his entire program.

The short discussions he had with me on the matter convinced me, and helped me with my negotiation skills (which were abysmal, now they're merely awful).

I look forward to watching this (thanks for the post!).
posted by el io at 10:09 AM on August 18, 2013

Is there a short text document equivalent? Or does one need to watch the video?
posted by jeffburdges at 10:49 AM on August 18, 2013 [3 favorites]

Somehow I think a lecture on how to negotiate job offers from Harvard Business School will have absolutely no bearing on me. Maybe for other on mefi, but definitely not me.
posted by Halogenhat at 11:46 AM on August 18, 2013 [1 favorite]

Actually it might be useful for everyone. In particular he talks about understanding that the person on the other side of the negotiating process has to like you, has constraints that you need to understand to be effective in negotiating with them, that you need to be prepared for questions that are uncomfortable in the process of negotiating, and that you shouldn't leave the mindset of negotiating once negotiating is concluded because you might be able to revisit things later.

Those are all pretty universal important things to understand in any kind of negotiating.
posted by winna at 1:29 PM on August 18, 2013 [3 favorites]

Thanks for letting us know that, Halogenhat, very substantive.

Did you actually watch it? You might be surprised.
posted by smoke at 4:18 PM on August 18, 2013

Good find. He's a very good lecturer.

I also couldn't help notice that offhand comment about happiness of MBA grads 20 years later.
posted by sockpuppetdirect at 1:31 AM on August 19, 2013

Is there a short text document equivalent? Or does one need to watch the video?

A partial summary from a comment here:

Dr. Malhotra makes some good points.

I've summarized quotes from his lecture (not the entire 15 points) here:

1. Think about who you are and what you want do to in your life. Pick the right choice

2. What is not negotiable today may be negotiable tomorrow.

3. Stay engaged.

4. The Mike Tyson allusion: "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face"

5. Get the why they're asking what they are asking.

6. If they make an ultimatum, generally speaking, (you can) ignore it.

7. There is no right answer to every situation -The Star Trek Captain trial allusion where the answer is Yes...provided that, considering this...

8. These people like you but you are not their only concern.

9. Negotiating w/ your future boss is not the same as negotiating with HR "adapt-to-each".

10. Don't be in a mad rush to get offers

11. Tell the truth. Resist the temptation to tell even a small lie.

You could also join the Youtube HTML 5 trial and then under any Youtube videos, in the settings button of the player, you can turn the speed to 2x.
posted by shivohum at 3:57 PM on August 19, 2013 [11 favorites]

wow, this was great. thanks for sharing.
posted by milestogo at 7:21 PM on August 20, 2013