Conflict Management and Negotiation Critical Thinking - Essay Example

? The use of negotiation is a skill set that is extremely beneficial to improve the terms and conditions of the matter being negotiated. Negotiation can be defined as the process of making decisions when parties involved have different preferences (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2003). It is imperative for businesspeople to develop their negotiation skills. Investing in training and development lessons in negotiation for the marketing department workers is a very wise investment. The marketing department is directly responsible of generating sales for the company (Kotler, 2003). Sales are the engine that drives a company. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyze the negotiation process for a job offer with Joe Tech and Robust Routers. As a prospective employee for the company my first strategy during the initial talks of the negotiation is to establish how strong a candidate I am for the position based on my educational and work experience credentials. I would come prepare with the most recent HR data on compensation for professionals in my career. The data from a reputable source reveals that the $92,000 based salary is within the boundaries of what another professional with similar credentials receives. The overall benefits packaged on the table are very reasonable based on the industry standards. During the negotiation process I will ensure that I use good active listening. By becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate” (Mindtools., 2013). I must act confident through the entire negotiations and my mindset must be positive. There are several things and can help a person achieve a successful employment negotiation. The person applying for a job vacancy must dress in a professional manner preferably in a suit for the first interview with the human resource representative or manager of the company. A second important tip for a person in the job application process is to perform research on the firm by searching information from different sources including the corporate website of the company and its annual report. All public companies are mandated to file annual reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Within the content of the annual report are the financial statements of a company (Sec, 2013). Analyzing the financial performance of the company is a good topic to bring up during the conversations of the negotiation. The employer will realize that the candidate came prepared to the negotiation table which shows competence. There are different negotiation strategies that can be used to obtain a positive outcome that allows the parties to reach a deal. These strategies can provide outcomes that result in win-win or win-lose outcomes. “In a successful negotiation, it’s up to each side to paint a vision – based on that side’s mission and purpose – which the other side evaluates as being beneficial or not” (Camp, 2013). In the negotiation process I must persuade the other party to visualize my proposition as a win-win outcome or win for them and lose for me. I have to reflect to the employer my value as a professional and that by hiring me the firm will increase its human capital tremendously. A lot can be learned about the parties involved during the initial negotiation process. The character of the person, communication style, personality, and body language are things that influence the conversations of a negotiation. A good negotiator is able to persuade and convince others (Sfh, 2007). During the early part of the negotiation it becomes notable whether the person negotiating has good verbal communication skills. The ability to communicate well will affect the negotiation from the start until the closure of the event. Compromising the terms of the labor contract now in hopes of being able to negotiate better terms in the future is a risky strategy. The compensation that a company owes an employee is stipulated in the term of the employment contract. If an employee signs a contract with a verbal promise of improving the terms in the near future the employee is at risk of the employer using foul play and going back on their word. “Do not accept a position at a salary lower than you know you are worth with the hopes of big raises in the future” (Acetheinterview, 2006). Verbal commitments are hard to prove in court because it becomes a game of hearsay between opposing statements. There are companies that have strong reputation which can increase the chance of a verbal commitment being honored. An advantage of taking a lower deal it that it ensures the person will obtain the job. The power in the negotiation can be held by either party depending on a variety of factors. Power can be defined as possession of control, authority, or influence over others (Merriam-webster, 2013). From the perspective of the employee some factors that can increases his power over the employer is having superb educational credentials. For instance a person that is both a CPA and a law degree can demand lot of money in the private industry. People that work in job industries in which there is a shortage of talent have an advantage at the negotiation table. The employer enjoys an advantage over job applicants when bad economic times drive the unemployment rate of the region down. The negotiation process is a bit different when an employee needs to secure a job versus a person that is changing jobs. The person that already has a job is in a better competitive position. He can afford to negotiate harder for better terms because the employer knows that this person already has steady income and he won’t leave his current job unless he gets a better offer. People looking for jobs must be aware of companies may give a low ball offer to start with in hopes hiring a person that is desperate for work at a below market total compensation package. If the employer offers to match the salary that was requested, but does not fully give in into all the fringe benefits included in the deal you requested it is acceptable to give in and accept the offer. It is hard to get all the terms you desired in any type of a negotiation. An example of a situation that would require an employee to walk away from a job offer is receiving a low ball offer. A person should get from an employee a compensation package that is up to par with the industry standard. As the director of the company I would evaluate the terms of the deal and compare it with the compensation that the firm pays for employees that have similar credentials that the person being interviewed for the job. I would document all my research and utilize the results to influence the decision of the candidate in the firm’s favor. In terms of the proposal I would provide a counter offer in which I reduce the signing bonus by 50%. The new signing bonus offer would be $10,000 instead of the $20,000 the candidate was requesting. The negotiations are different from the perspective of an employer or an employee. The employer evaluates at times hundreds of resumes. They are looking for a person that stands out from others and that has potential for growth. The person looking for a job must act proactively to persuade the interviewer that he is the most qualified candidate for the job. It is important for the job candidate to leave a good impression and to demonstrate that his credentials are a perfect match for the job opening. References Acetheinterview.com (2006). Salary negotiations. Retrieved April 12, 2013 from http://www.acetheinterview.com/interview/salarynego.php Camp, J. (2013). Revisiting “Win-Win” Negotiation: It’s Still a Losing Game. Forbes. Retrieved April 12, 2013 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimcamp/2013/03/11/revisiting-win-win-negotiation-its-still-a-losing-game/ Kotler, P. (2003). Marketing Management (11th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Mindtools.com (2013). Active Listening. Retrieved April 12, 2013 from http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm Mirriamwebster.com (2013). Definition of power. Retrieved April 12, 2013 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. (2013). Organizational Behavior (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Sec.org (2013). Annual Report. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved April 12, 2013 from http://www.sec.gov/answers/annrep.htm Sfhgroup.com (2007). Negotiation Tips by Allen Stitt. Retrieved April 11, 2013 from http://www.sfhgroup.com/ca/training/negotiation/negotiation-tip/ Read More