The Salary Discussion

Here are some possible scenarios that illustrate the principles of open-door negotiating and the use of the four bargaining factors. This is the story of Alex, a computer hardware sales engineer:

QUESTION: What are you making right now?
ANSWER: I’m making as good or better than a person of my skills in this geographic area.

QUESTION: Can you give me an exact number?
ANSWER: Well, you know, it’s very difficult to compare what someone in a small company like mine makes with what someone working in a large company like this one would make. Maybe you could tell me what salary range would be reasonable for a person with my skills in this company.

QUESTION: Oh, anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000, plus commissions.
ANSWER: [stands up, puts his hand out for a handshake] $60,000 sounds great. When can I start?

This may sound like it’s all too simple, but it works. This is a very typical salary negotiation for many of my clients. The scenario can certainly unfold in a thousand different ways, but what looks like luck here isn’t. It’s skill. Let’s see what happened and exactly how Alex managed to pull this one off:

Taken from : Fearless Interviewing - How To Win The Job