How to Negotiate an Offer

Krissy Manzano: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Blueprint Round table. We’re going to jump right into it today. We’re talking about how to negotiate as a candidate at the offer stage. Right. and so Chuck, I’m going to head over to you first. Tell us your thoughts.

Chuck Brotman: Yeah, for sure. I like this topic. So I mean, the first thing I’ll say, well, I’m going to focus on individual contributor frontline manager roles. I think negotiating like executive offers is a probably a different topic. We can touch on that. But maybe for another episode. But first thing I’ll say is to really take the emotion out of the negotiation effort as best as you can, and also be aware that oftentimes there may be emotions at play in the other side. If you have an offer in hand today in this market, right? I mean, that means the company, really feels great about you and in a context where they may have a lot of other like interested parties, right?

And that doesn’t mean that you should feel you can’t negotiate, but it does mean that you should be aware that, that they’ve gone through probably a pretty significant process. You should be excited by that, but also do your best. Take the emotion out of it. Second thing I should add, though, is to be aware that not all offers are negotiable, nor should you feel it’s obligatory to negotiate.

I think some people are in the mistaken impression that like, when you have an offer in hand or a verbal offer, right? That like, that’s the first step in a negotiation. That is not always the case. And many companies have asked policy that You know, they put their best and final offer out there and, and, due to having, levels in place or just for other reasons.

Right? So I think you want to be aware of that and not to feel obligated to. But you take a look at that offer, as a whole, right? And really think about if there are things you want to negotiate. Why? Like, what are your must haves? Are these things that you had socialized in the past? Like, you want to avoid it?

 If possible, blindsiding people that said, you may not have had an opportunity to, come back to compensation or, or the package as a whole or equity until that stage. And so, and kind of think about what matters most to you. If you have data, you can use to support your argument.

If it’s about compensation, you have some of your own data on, On compensation for similar role types and make having that can be available. Last thing I would say is to just be aware of timelines, right? If an offer has been put in front of you, there may be other candidates who are in a backup position, and the company needs to be sensitive to their timelines too.

So try to avoid stringing things along and, not being respectful of their timeline if in some cases timeline, maybe something itself that you want to negotiate, right? If you get an offer and they ask you for a decision in 24 hours. That might be your your negotiating point because you have other offers you’re considering right?

So that’s the case, you know, that’s, that’s certainly fair and reasonable to ask for that. You may have data as well to support why having a couple extra days could be helpful for you. Hopefully you’ve shared the company that you’re in a competitive situation and most good companies should to a certain level of respect that.

So that’s my initial guidance. I feel like I’m being a little bit more convoluted than planned, so I’m going to turn over to Emily because I’m sure she’ll have some better thoughts on this.

Emily Bell: No, I, I think, I mean, all ringing true. It’s, it’s such a, a nuanced topic. There’s, there’s no like cookie cutter way to do it every single time. but they’re very much as a right and a wrong way to do it. So it’s like, it’s really hard to like hit the mark on that because I think it’s more of, having the right instincts and approaching the conversation, especially, taking into consideration who, who’s giving you the offer.

Is this someone in HR as a talent person, or is this the actual hiring manager, or, is it a recruiter that’s That’s offering giving the offer on behalf of the company. Is this a founder of an early growth organization that’s giving the offer? Like knowing the audience is a key element to like understanding how to approach the negotiation.

But I think across the board, regardless of who you are talking to, thanking them for the offer is really important. You would think it would go unsaid, but I think some people will skip that part altogether. And so that gratitude is lost, even though it might very well be there. And then you’ve really lost some important leverage in the negotiation in the sense that you are running the risk of the company perceiving that as you’ve lost interest, or you might not be as excited about coming on board as they are about you coming on board. And if you want to leverage max capacity out of an offer, like you want them to think you’re just as excited as they are. So I think expressing gratitude, especially at an offer as is, even if it’s not exactly where you want it to end is really important.

And I think, not necessarily choosing your battles, but genuinely having a conversation with yourself around what it is that you actually want. I think asking just to ask is typically perceived by the other party. And I think sometimes people lose line of sight into how much effort it has taken to even deliver an offer, layers of approval, or request for comp ranges, even recruiting partners giving insights into, hey, here’s how I’d recommend approaching this to be as strategic and competitive as possible.

There’s a lot of behind the scenes motion typically before a candidate even gets that piece of paper or the verbal. And so expressing gratitude for the effort that went into that is important.

Chuck Brotman: I have a question for you both. I have an opinion on this too, but when do you think if you get an offer and, and maybe you have a couple of others that are in hand, we should also talk about what in hand means because it may be a verbal offer. Many companies don’t want to give you the written offer until you verbally indicate you want to go forward, which may become another topic, but you have an offer in some form from the company and then you have others.

And if the company that extends that offer to you that we’re discussing here is your preferred choice, does disclosing that take away your leverage or do you think you should tell that company that it’s my intent to go forward with you. Here’s what I’m looking for

Emily Bell: I think that transparency is key, and I don’t think that you lose leverage at all. I think, in fact, you almost start positioning yourself as part of their team of like, Hey, I want you to win here, but this is what I’m going to need in order to say yes to you guys. I want to say yes to you. However, I have this offer here and where comp is not the complete determining factor.

You guys are far enough away to where I am having to consider it. Is there any room to get closer? I think that’s the that’s the approach that more often than not would work really well in the candidates favor.

Krissy Manzano: Yeah, I, I totally agree. I think the thing that we haven’t talked about here that we probably should highlight, we, we often talk about how interviewing is archaic, right? Even how we look at resumes and how we’re trying to define as someone’s going to be successful. But there’s actually an element that we don’t talk about as much, which is how candidates negotiate is actually very archaic.

There were days and times where you go and you’re like, they give you an offer and you go back at them. Right. And you hold all your cards and it’s kind of this game. We are not there anymore. And that is so important that every, the last two decades of the golden era where we’ve been, we’re not there.

And if you are in a go to market role in particular, which is going to be, on the sales, customer success or marketing side, I don’t care what position entry level or senior level, it takes more time to figure out if you’re going to be successful, right? Versus there are some other roles where you can figure that out pretty quickly.

Companies are being held very accountable for their hires. And we have seen as a firm that even if companies found their diamond in the rough, their needle in a haystack that they’ve been looking for, and they love it. If one thing goes wrong with that offer stage. They’ll walk away.

That’s how much people are there. There’s no risk that they’re willing to take. And so what candidates have been told, I don’t think a lot of them really understand that stage. And that’s why going back to your question, Chuck, and agreeing with what Emily said, you, they, anything that feels like they’re being blindsided, that they’re being played or that they can’t read you is going to immediately start sending off yellow, red flags for them.

And they’re going to go, Nope. If there is 1 percent of rest being added here, I’m removing it. And so we’re not in a stage where, companies are trying to be transparent, here’s my comp, here’s what all those things look like. That’s not to say, Chuck, you said one thing where you’re like, you could tell them the company you have.

I don’t think, I don’t agree that you need to tell them the companies you have one, because I, I do think that can cross the line a little bit. We’re like. Companies will start trying to tell you why they’re better. So I just think you don’t need to tell them who you’re getting offers from.

Chuck Brotman: I I didn’t mean to say that agree I would never share the name.

Krissy Manzano: Oh, yeah.

Chuck Brotman: that you have yeah, 100%

Krissy Manzano: Yeah.

Like you don’t need to share the names. That’s okay. That level of transparency doesn’t, there’s a line, but like, they need to know that you’re excited that you care and how you handle that offer. Like I think this year we have had more. Like, we get to offer stage now, and we know, like, there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Honestly, it’s the hardest stage in recruiting right now, as ironic as that is, because they might love you. You might be the only person out of tons of folks and months that they’ve interviewed that they’ve loved and liked. But if you do one thing wrong, it’s over. And so, I think when, this is July of 2024 that we’re filming this.

If you’re watching this a year ahead or in future years, maybe we’re not in that state. I think we’re going to be in this state for a while, but for 2024 buckle up, because if, especially if you’re in those go to market roles or, even other ones in that sense, the offer stage is where everything can fall apart and it’s on you to make sure that you depict your excitement.

And also, that you’re not blindsiding, you’re playing games. That should be the easiest stage for the candidate side. I think a lot are getting confused of how to handle that, or they think they have the upper hand. Let me be very clear. You do not have the upper hand. It doesn’t matter how much you’re loved.

That was 2018, 2019, not 2024.

Chuck Brotman: 

Emily Bell: Yeah, I mean, I, I think it’s important to, and I feel like maybe, maybe it’s just being on the recruiting side of the world now. So I see it more often. It doesn’t happen often. It’s not something that is like a standard practice, but just like a candidate, even though you’ve signed an offer letter, they can decide to not show up.

I’ve seen companies, even being willing, depending on how you handle yourself and the rapport that you continue to build from signature to start date. like, it’s not, it’s not a done deal. And so I think just handling yourself at the level of professionalism, celebrating and being really excited.

It’s a big deal. You got a job offer, but also realizing that like, it’s a job and you might not have started there yet, but you have to be professionally polished at each and every stage. because I, I think that there, there are less qualms, I think around rescinding an offer to than they have been in the past because of that level of pressure that companies have to get the right, the right hire.

Krissy Manzano: Well said.

Chuck Brotman: That’s a good point. What do you think? Maybe what about situations? I mean, one of the things that I think companies often miss is that in this market, there are plenty of candidates who in fact do have like multiple offers. Right. Like it’s still a competitive market for top talent. And if you as a candidate have two or three offers in hand, and there’s a company that you’re talking to that maybe isn’t your number one, but your number two, but perhaps, they’re, if they’re willing to do X, Y, and Z and compensation or the total package.

They become your number one, or they make it a tougher choice. Does transparency still rule? And should that candidate be honest? I think you know where my answer is here. But in terms of, should they, maybe honest, that’s the wrong way to frame it. Should they disclose that this is not their top offer? But with X, Y, and Z, they may be willing to go.

Like, how do you handle that? Situation or do you just not try to negotiate at all and wait until you see what happens with your top offer at that stage?

Emily Bell: I would say if they’re not your top offer, I wouldn’t necessarily outright disclose it. I would just say, Hey, I think that there’s some additional conversations we can have here and just kind of leave it at that. You’re not telling them that they’re your front runners. You’re not leading them down an incorrect path, but that is where it does make sense to hold your cards because something could happen with your first choice.

And then now you’ve told this other company, they weren’t your Choice. And so, and oftentimes it’s very narrow what’s first choice and what’s not. So there’s just no point in letting people know, let the other company know that they’re your top choice. That makes sense. yeah, I’m curious, Krissy, if you would agree on

Krissy Manzano: Well, I agree it less is more, right? Like talk about transparency, but you only want to be transparent where it’s not distracting for people. Right. Like who’s going to want to hear like, you know what, I was thinking about dating you, but I don’t know. I like this other person better. Like, does it make you feel good?

Or like, are they going to, then they’re going to be thinking, are they going to stay? They’re going to start to spiral. Right. So keep that to yourself. And I think, when it comes to time, right. You’re never going to get all these offers at one time. It’s not realistic to ask. for 2 weeks, but you can’t that’s where you should be transparent and process.

Look, I’m in late stages with this company. I’m expecting to get an offer in 2 weeks. I know you all are here. I know you all may not be able to move that fast. I may not get an offer at that time, but I just want to stay transparent. Like, that’s that’s it’s all about community in that. Or you get. an offer, and you’re expecting to potentially get another one a week later.

You can just say, Hey, I would, this is wonderful. I love this company. I’m just finishing out this final interview process that I put a lot of work into. You all are my preferred. I just want to finish this out because it is important. So I’d like to have one week. 

The, the bigger thing in all this is you also don’t want to burn Bridges, right? We, we see candidates a lot. Like, even if it’s not a company you would go with, if you make it to offer stage or the final end, I don’t care if you’re going to go with someone else.

Keep a great relationship. Don’t cancel 24 hours. Like, because one, we all know that we don’t know what’s going to happen, especially in tech, like you can go to a job and it just doesn’t even start, or they do layoffs that no one’s all coming or whatever it is. It’s so much easier to go back to these companies that you’re like, Hey, it didn’t work out here.

I would like make them feel like you are worth their time and you value them. And keep that relationship, let them know how hard it is. Like, there are so much strength that’s not being used at these end stages.

Chuck Brotman: It occurred to me, you’re going to need this to be my, my, my closing comments on this and then curious to your thoughts on it, but it really as with so much it, this, everything we are recommending to candidates is exactly how we try to run our practice as recruiters insofar as. We want to always overcommunicate as best as we can be transparent.

Sometimes that does mean you can’t always share everything given circumstances, but you always want to be as transparent and communicative as possible. And ultimately, you’re trying to mitigate. Someone used the word blindside citing you invariably candidates will be incredibly disappointed if your client passes on them for someone else.

Like that’s just the nature of. This, this, this game and you can’t do anything about that, but you can do something about mitigating people being blindsided. Right? And you do that through communication and constant giving them context. If a search is competitive, you want candidates to know it’s competitive.

That doesn’t always mean you can tell them they are not the number 1, but you want to let them know where you know that they are a finalist. It’s competitive where they’re doing great, like, reinforcing all the positive feedback along the way. but if they ultimately don’t get the offer, right? You want to, you want to minimize as much as you can and feeling like, wow, that really came out of left field.

And it’s the same thing we’re saying to candidates, right? When you are negotiating offers and the accuracy that goes to your point, if you are being, as communicative as you can, not always sharing everything, but as much as you can, based on circumstances, you will minimize blindside in the hiring manager and you’re probably building a relationship.

And actually, I think about it. I’ve done this as a candidate in my past too, where, I’ve turned down offers and those have become great additions to my network because I did comport myself as a professional.

Krissy Manzano: No, I think this is great. We, we could probably do a couple more of these. We’ll see what our, our audience thinks, but I know this was longer than our typical round table, but it is such a hot topic right now. And I hope as many people can watch as possible, share it with friends, share it with family, share it with your colleagues, anyone that, you know, because this is the world we’re in when it comes to offers.

And if you do this, right, it’s going to be a great experience. We want everyone to land that job, but they want, and make sure that they’re using the skills and things that are needed for today’s environment, not ones from five years ago. But that’s all the time that we have today. Make sure to follow us on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Apple or Spotify podcast, and then go to our website, www. blueprintexpansion. com. Until next time, we’ll see you later.