1. Evaluating Job Opportunities and Negotiating Job Offers
The Big Switch:
Seller to Buyer

2. Evaluating Opportunities:
The Position
The Company
Potential for Career Advancement
Compensation and Benefits
Lifestyle Issues
External Process: Gather Information – do the research and ask questions about what you need to know
Internal Process: Create a System – get criteria out of your head and write it down. Prioritize and rank order what’s important to you
Position: Day to day tasks; skills needed/ your current skill base; resources; work groups, supervision
Company: Reputation; Industry fit right for you; corporate values/culture; quality of management;
Career Advancement: your goals; promotions; lateral movement; examples of progression; mentorship
Compensation: salary; bonuses; compensation potential; intl assignments
Lifestyle: location, proximity to friends/family; cost of housing; climate; work/life balance

3. Managing Timing of Offers
How would you rank and proceed with these scenarios?
Company A…you are somewhat interested. Second Interviews in a week. Offer by Dec.
Company B…you TOP CHOICE company. Second Interviews in Jan. Offer by March.
Company C…your LAST choice. You have an offer. The offer is only ok but negotiable.
Company D…a SMALL entrepreneurial company. Nothing in progress.
How would you play this?
Company B – Move process forward
Company A – Follow timeline
Company D – Get wheels in motion
Company C – Keep offer open, negotiate for time

4. Remember Your Purpose Why did you come to business school
What have you learned since? Has it changed your original plans?
Six months into the job, imagine your attitude getting up and going to work.

5. National / Regional / Hirer
Recruit Fall – Offer by Dec – Decision by Jan/Feb
Recruit Fall/Win Offers/Decision- shorter timeframe
Recruit as needed. Driven by company
Salary – generally higher.
Follows regional salaries
Dependent on company. Benchmark w/ local industry
More room to negotiate: bonus, relocation…
May negotiate, less than natl, more than hirer
Less room – intv local people

6. Negotiating Job Offers
Be informed…
research the market rate, your market worth, and standards in the company
Be Savvy…don’t discuss compensation until you get offer / negotiate your contribution not personality
Be selective…
focus on 1 or 2 critical issues to negotiate
Be professional…never sacrifice good relations / listen to cues
Be ready…don’t negotiate until you know you want the position

7. Reasons for Requesting Higher Salary
The current market rate for this particular position is higher than your offer
Your unique skills and experience and the ways in which they will enhance your contribution to the organization warrants higher compensation
How to play this - Proposal for Service
NOTE: YOUR PERCEPTION OF YORU WORTH MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE EMPLOYER – ITS YOUR JOB TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR VALUE THROUGHOUT THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
UNDERSTAND YOUR MARKET VALUE: THIS DEPENDS ON YOUR EXISTING SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE, THE INDUSTRY AND FUNCTION YOU CHOOSE, RELEVANCE OF PRE MBA AND INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES, SKILLS YOU DEMONSTRATE IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, AND SCARITY OF YOUR PARTICULAR ATTRIBUTES IN THE MARKETPLACE

8. Making Your Final Decision
Ask for more time only if the employer cannot offer you what you need
Never expect more than a couple of days
Accept offers both verbally and in writing
Let other relevant parties know of your decision AFTER you have accepted