PR In Canada

CONGRATULATIONS!! You just got an offer for the job you had been pursuing for months. You grinded your way through interviews, testing and references and now the effort has paid off with an offer.

Pause the celebrations: the negotiation stage is about to begin.

Negotiations can be smooth sailing, and rewarding, if handled correctly. Manage the negotiations and the way you leave your current position incorrectly and you could have trouble on your career horizon.

This article is all about how to handle the closing of one chapter in your career, while opening a new one with ease.

Negotiating Made Simple
Starting the negotiating process means you are entertaining a job offer. It’s important to celebrate this milestone, whether you end up taking the position or not. Remember, not all offers result in a successful negotiation and acceptance of the new position.

It’s a question of give and take … what you are willing to take and what the employer is willing to give. Sometimes, the two sides can’t reach an agreement so you need to think about what you want and what you’re willing to compromise on for the sake of this new opportunity.
Negotiating is a process, which means there are steps to follow … skip steps or jump ahead at your peril.

Here’s the simplified process:
1. Obtain the offer.
2. Analyze the offer and collect missing information from the employer.
3. Evaluate the offer and determine your goals, and trade-offs.
4. Negotiate and obtain or propose a counter-offer.
5. Repeat steps above as needed.
6. Reach an agreement or decide to walk away.
7. Receive the final offer in writing.

The most common sticking point in a negotiation revolves around money … specifically the salary and benefits. Do your homework and find out the industry standards and current market rate.

Throughout steps two through four, clarify the benefits package, vacation and other important policies. Make sure you really understand them so you can make an informed decision.

Take some time before you counter offer to evaluate what you want, and what you are willing to trade off. Everyone has non-negotiable criteria that could signal your decision to walk away from the position.

Resign Like A Pro
Once you have accepted the offer, a potentially tricky maneuver remains – leaving your old job.

Resigning is never easy, especially if you’re joining a competitor. The key is to be as professional as you can be, regardless of the reaction you receive when you give notice.

Here are a few pointers to exit like a professional.

Set a positive tone: Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. Leave your current employer on good terms if at all possible. Don’t forget, you may want to return to this firm (or to work for this boss at a new company) at a later stage in your career, or you may need a good reference when you apply for your next position.
Give notice: No matter what happens when you tell your boss you are leaving … even if tempers flare, make sure you provide adequate notice. This will ensure you aren’t leaving projects unfinished, and the company has a handover period that minimizes any disruption caused by your departure.
Say no to leverage: Some people use an offer to get more money from their current employer. This tactic will backfire. If you are really valued as an employee they would have improved your package without the threat. This tactic will taint your reputation. Threats never work well in the long term and leave bad feelings on both sides.
Beware of counter offers: Often, employees who accept counter offers from their current employer are back on the market within six months. The reasons you planned to leave still exist, even if conditions in the short term were more tolerable by a raise or promotion. It will also portray you negatively with the employer who offered you a position. You’ve now burned that bridge.
Respect agreements: Chances are you signed confidentiality agreements and non compete or solicitation agreements. Live up to your end of these agreements to avoid legal troubles. Sticking to your agreements also shows integrity … a valuable commodity in business. Our industry is quite small and you don’t want to have your reputation tarnished.

It goes without saying that before you start your job search, you should make sure you’ve updated your portfolio with all your best and most current work. I am constantly shocked to hear of people who found a new job (with a competitor) and are shown the door immediately. Since they aren’t allowed to collect things from their office, they leave without up to date work.

Harsh? Not if you look at it from the employer’s perspective. They have to protect their business and if you’re leaving to join the competition, they need to make a clean break. The lesson: like a good boy scout, you need to be prepared.

Christian Hasse joined the recruitment firm Cramer & Co. – following more than a dozen years of senior public relations experience. His focus is on supporting searches in PR, Communications, Investor Relations, and Public Affairs, and building on his background in journalism and sports PR. He is also an industry guest speaker at various educational institutions and CPRS events.

Categories: Career Management
Tags: Career Management