I’m in the process of interviewing for a job that I’m quite certain will be offered to me within the next week.  There’s one obstacle. I had an initial telephone interview that went very well.  We even started talking about salary at the close of that interview.  I tried to hold off on giving a specific amount at the time but was pressed to disclose my salary expectations until I finally did give an amount. The interviewer said, “That would be doable,” and continued by encouraging me and setting up a face-to-face interview.  After the second interview, I was shown the job description, which had the salary listed as $10,000 less than my figure, I think I may need to use negotiating skills to secure the salary that was originally promised.  How do I get the employer to stick with the original offer without turning it into an adversarial situation?

Deb’s Answer:

Wait for the offer.

As promising as the interviews have been, it sounds as if an actual offer has not yet been extended. An attempt to negotiation before an offer has been made, however tempting, is premature.

It’s important that you are fully prepared with persuasive positioning of yourself for the job, in case a lower salary is extended. You will be in a stronger bargaining position after the employer has concluded that you are the best person for the job and has made a formal offer.

In the best-case scenario, the interviewer will offer the same or a higher salary then originally suggested. For executive and niche positions, a $10,000 difference between a written listing and the right candidate is not necessarily an insurmountable gap. You may find that the employer adheres to the original amount suggested without any problem.

If, however, the offer is made at a lower amount, remind the employer of the earlier conversation and the stated amount. Indicate that you agreed to proceed with the second interview based on that salary figure. In a nondefensive manner, inquire as to what has changed since the original conversation. Reiterate your strong interest in the job, and if this doesn’t get you back to the level that you thought had been agreed to, continue by justifying the higher salary based on the worth of your potential contributions in the role.

To negotiate persuasively, you will need to research salaries for your function, industry, location and experience. Consider your market value, your own needs and the needs of the organization to determine if your original figure is truly representative.
Most importantly, identify the value you bring to the employer – that is, increased productivity, enhanced morale, projected cost savings, revenue generation. Use your past record, as well as your knowledge of this employer’s needs, to make a convincing case.

Before entering into the next conversation, also look at the entire package to see if there are other areas (vacation or other benefits, for example) to expand the negotiation. Do some soul-searching to determine your walk-away point and your best alternative to this position. You’ll then be ready to enter the negotiation.

Upon reflection, exercise caution in future interviews about making premature assumptions. A comment made early in the conversation is not a firm commitment, as impressions evolve throughout the process. In a second interview as more information is revealed, you become either more or less desirable as a candidate in the employer’s view. This could affect the final selection.

However, if nothing has changed, “doable” should mean “doable.” If you believe that you were intentionally misled and the employer is of questionable integrity, you have to ask yourself what other unpleasant surprises might be in store for you, and if this is the employer with whom you want to align your talents.