That feeling you get when you get offered a new job is immense, you probably want to tell the world how great you feel, ring your recruiter and scream YES!!! down the phone.
Hang fire...
Don’t burn your negotiation card by just accepting a role the instant you are offered it. Instead, make sure that you show your appreciation, be it over the phone or in-person thank them before you do anything else.
Whether you are going to come back with an offer or just accept the role, this sets a good tone for the conversation. Be super enthusiastic, use words like “excited” and “thrilled” to show you are excited about the role, but without accepting it.
Ask for the offer in writing.
Once you have told them how thankful you are for the offer, ask them to put it to you in writing. An official job offer should be made up of the title of the position, start date and details of the enumeration and benefits packages.
This step makes the offer official, and it gives you a chance to go over the details with a fine-tooth comb and make sure you understand what it is you are being offered. Be sure to ask at this point you ask how soon they would like you to give them an answer after receiving the letter.
A responsible employer will give you the time you need to make the big decision, a day or two is a reasonable amount of time. If you aren’t 100% happy with something in the offer, make sure you respond appropriately. Let them know by saying “I have looked over the offer and its a great opportunity; I would like to discuss the details in a little bit more detail, can we set up a time to meet or speak?”
Make sure that you go into the conversation with the right attitude, be collaborative and not confrontational and make sure that you ask the right questions.
“Yes”.... say it the right way.
So you have negotiated the offer, or not, and you’re ready to accept the offer. Make sure that you go over all of the details as you understand them in your acceptance letter or conversation. This step is especially crucial if you have negotiated from the original offer, you should always ask for the final offer in writing.
Make sure that you thank them again, and if the negotiation process took longer than you expected, to make sure that you acknowledge the extra time they have taken to get this over the line.
Last but not least, ask what’s next? Is there any paperwork you need to fill in, is there an orientation process? How can you prepare for your first day? These questions will show your ongoing proactive interest and make sure the company know they have made a solid choice of hiring you.