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Negotiation Practice Estimator

BA 411

For this task, your job is to maximize your job offer. Negotiate by balancing out these five factors:

1. What you feel you need to earn to make the job worth it

2. What you feel you are worth as an employee

3. How badly you need the job

4. What the company believes you are worth

5. How badly the company needs you

Read the following scenarios, make a negotiation decision, roll the die, and see what the outcome is. Write down why you made the request you made and write down what surprised you about the result of the negotiation.

YOU WILL NEED:

· Either a die to roll (one of a pair of dice) or a random number generator (you can use https://www.random.org/ or Google “random number generator” and set a limit of 1-6)

· Nerdwallet’s Cost of Living Calculator (https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator) will help you once again to get an idea of how much you’d need to make in a new city. For now, let’s assume you live in Portland, OR, so you have a way to compare to offers from other cities.

· Reference https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/how-to-negotiate-your-salary/ to help guide your actions in the practice scenarios below

Job Offer Scenario 1

Job offer is for another position in Portland (where you currently live). The manager is offering you a salary of $50,000, which is what you make currently. This position is nearly identical to your current position, although there will be some opportunities for supervisory experience, the manager says.

A. Type below the minimum amount of money you’re willing to accept for this position. Then write down how much you would (reasonably) prefer to be paid.

B. Roll the die or use the random number generator (with boundaries of minimum 1, maximum 6), and put the number you rolled below.

C. If you rolled a 1, the manager rejects you outright, saying, “We’re done here.” If you had a 2, she says, “I don’t think we’re in the same range at all.” If you got a 3, she sort of tilts her head and waits to hear more. A 4 gets you a nod and, “I’ll seeSce what I can do.” Rolling a 5 gets you the high number you wanted. If you got a 6, she’s adding $5000 to your asking price, because they love you.

D. Now that you’ve rolled, what do you do? If you had a low number and a bad response from the hiring manager, what do you counter with? At this point are you willing to walk away, or will you push for more? Write below about next step, and justify it based on the five factors your balancing (from the top of page one). How do you negotiate from here? What do you say?

Job Offer Scenario 2

Job offer is for a position in Seattle (you still live in Portland). The manager is offering you a salary of $60,000, and you currently make $55,000. This position is a step up from your current position, however you’re not absolutely sure you want to move north. Further, you get the sense that they are lowballing you, because the position description named a salary between $55,000 and $85,000.

A. Type below the minimum amount of money you’re willing to accept for this position. Then write down how much you would (reasonably) prefer to be paid.

B. (Optional) Write down a few sentences you might say to the manager to impress upon him that your life is good, and you’re not sure you want to upend everything to go to Seattle at that price point.

C. Roll the die or use the random number generator (with boundaries of minimum 1, maximum 6), and put the number you rolled below.

D. If you rolled a 1 or a 2, the manager says, “Based on your experience, it’s 60k or nothing.” If you got a 3 or a 4 he says he can bring your request back to the team, and they’ll try to find something in the ballpark. If you rolled a 5 or a 6, he offers you the higher number you wrote down. HOWEVER: if you wrote a couple of sentences under choice B, then go ahead and add 1 to your roll.

E. If you are happy with the negotiation, write below how you feel about that final number. If not, think about that balance—what would it take to pry you away from your current situation? Are you happy to reject an offer if it’s not enough? Write about your thoughts and feelings below.

Job Offer Scenario 3

Job offer is for a position in Sacramento, CA (you live in Portland). The manager is offering you a salary of $50,000, and you currently are unemployed. You need to accept any reasonable job offer, because you’ve been out of work for three months and things are really tight. At the same time, you’re not interested in walking into a situation where you’ll be trapped without room to grow in your career, and everything about this interview indicates that this position is going nowhere anytime soon.

A. Type below the minimum amount of money you’re willing to accept for this position (keeping in mind your current unemployment status). Then write down how much you would (reasonably) prefer to be paid.

B. (Optional) Write down something you might say to the manager to impress upon her that you see the job as full of potential, but you’re not sure if you can make it at that price point.

C. Roll the die or use the random number generator (with boundaries of minimum 1, maximum 6). This time roll it 3 times and list the numbers you rolled below.

D. Average the values of the three rolls. If you averaged a value from 1-2, the manager says, “We have another candidate we’re considering offering the position to, so if you can’t do 50k, I think we’re finished here.” If you averaged between 2 and 3, then the manager says, “I’ll bring it back to the table, but I’m promising you here, we’re not going to budge on that number.” If you got 3-4, she says, “How does $52,000 sound?” 4-5 nets you, “We can look at your bonus structure, too, but I think I can go all the way up to $55,000.” Averaging between 5 and 6 means you hear, “We really like you: we can go all the way up to $60,000, if you’re willing to take a chance on us.” ONCE AGAIN: if you wrote a few sentences under choice B, then go ahead and add 1 to your average roll.

E. If you are happy with the negotiation, write below how you feel about that final result. If not, think about that balance—what kinds of offers could you say no to, after three months of unemployment? What’s a bigger risk—a bad job, or no job? Discuss your thoughts and feelings below.

Job Offer Scenario 4

Job offer is for a position in Portland, close to where you live. The manager is offering you a salary of $75,000, and you currently make $55,000. This one feels like the opportunity of a lifetime, although you start to wonder just how high they will go, if 75k is already on the table. Everything about this job looks great—location, responsibilities, teammates, and compensation. Do you accept at face value, or try to get even more promised?

A. Type below if you ware willing to take the $75,000 at face value. If you are interested in negotiating, then write down how much you would (reasonably) ask for.

B. (Optional) Write down a couple sentences you might say to the manager to suggest that you could bring in enough value and experience to the job to justify an even higher pay grade.

C. Roll the die or use the random number generator (with boundaries of minimum 1, maximum 6). Write the number you rolled below.

D. If you rolled a 1, the manager says, “We’re a team-oriented organization, and that doesn’t feel like something teammate would do. I guess we can’t reach a deal.” A 2 gets a shrug out of the manager, and he says, “That’s not happening. Take it or leave it.” A 3 has him asking, “I’m sorry, this isn’t a wide-open negotiation. That’s our offer.” Rolling a 4 makes the manager scratch his chin and say, “Possible, but unlikely, that we’d go up on that number.” Getting a 5 has him saying, “We do like you. $80,000 is our maximum. How does that sound?” Finally, if you rolled a 6, you hear, “Let’s do it: $$90,000. You’ve got a lot of guts, pal.” HOWEVER: if you wrote a few sentences under choice B, then subtract 1 from your roll.

E. If you are happy with the negotiation, write below how you feel about that final result. If not, think about that balance—which kinds offers should be accepted without negotiation? Are there any? What are you trading off when you negotiate? What do you lose by debating? What do you risk? Discuss your thoughts and feelings below.