Why Job Hunting is like Dating

What happens when you get the interview and it\’s your Dream JOB? The biggest question is…. how are you going to literally make them fall in love with you? As the saying goes – \”You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince!\” In this post I am going to share why job hunting is like dating and how to negotiate the best outcome right from the start.

1. Be Strategic – Your future is in the palm of your hand. What is your dream job? Look in the right places to increase the possibility for the best outcome. The best advantage IS about who you know and who you are connected to professionally and personally. Those connections give you a good idea of how you would fit in and can share the company culture.
2. Look the Part! – Dressing the part and being professional and exuding confidence to show others you are knowledgeable and the \”expert\” that will help them solve their problems. In addition, your resume needs to highlight your accomplishments with data showing you have been a success, not just responsible for tasks. Be confident, well spoken, ask the right questions to put yourself in the best light!
3. Leave the past in the past. – Don\’t talk about your \”Ex\” – past boss or job issues as it may shine a negative light on you.
4. Be Motivated! – What motivates you to achieve success and how does that relate to the core values of the company. Is it a match? Values need to line up or conflicts will arise in the future. Prior to the interview make sure that you are mindful and prepared. It is always good to practice.
5. Future Hope! – What are your aspirations? Do your long term goals match? Look to the future and see yourself thriving and contributing to the company\’s success with your skills and expertise.
6. Get back in the boat. – There are more fish in the sea. It\’s hard not to take the rejection personally, yet you will need to cope and bring your confidence back up to continue your search. Follow up is important in all cases to acknowledge they have other candidates that may be a better fit.
7. Negotiate the best outcome. – The bottom line is you need to be confident in your value – what you bring to the plate – and your ability to articulate your worth when you get the offer so the negotiation goes in your favor. Know what you are worth and don\’t settle for less.

How do you actually negotiate your salary? Check out the below Steps to Salary Negotiations (The Jack Chapman Salary Negotiation Method as shared on LifeHacker.com)

1. Postpone Salary Negotiations until you are offered the position.
2. Let the other side make the first offer
3. When you hear the offer, repeat the number. This gives you time to think and gives them time to think it may not be enough.
4. Counter offer with a researched response.
5. Clinch the deal and deal some more. Include benefits that are \”soft\” for the company to offer (vacation time, remote work days, etc.)

What negotiating style will enhance your outcome if offered a position? Accommodating and Competitive are the 2 styles that would benefit and possibly give an advantage for a higher salary. Competitive is strategic and more aggressive stating the research while Accommodating would be gather the facts on both sides with the goal to find the balance.

Independent of the power the applicants had at the table, choice of negotiation strategy turned out to be the critical factor in determining effective salary negotiation. Those who chose to negotiate salary, rather than accepting the offer on the table, increased their starting pay by an average of $5,000, primarily by using competing and collaborating strategies. Those who behaved competitively did better than those who focused on collaboration, but collaborators were more satisfied than competitive bargainers with the negotiation process. By contrast, compromising and accommodating strategies were not linked to salary gains.

From the Harvard Law School Program on Ne gotiation – Negotiating salary – 3 winning strategies.

Preparing for an interview and being strategic in your job search is much like opening your heart up to a relationship and feeling secure in the choice of your date or your mate. Know what you want, feel good about how you present yourself, while leaving the past behind. Stay motivated, think about the future and be sure to be confident in your value and negotiate for the best outcome. Relationships are about negotiating!

Because YOU are worth it.