Contract Negotiation Value of One Small Thing

Whoever said, “Don’t sweat the little things,” must have never entered into an employment contract negotiation.

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT NEGOTIATION

Effective contract negotiation drives value for an employment agreement even if it’s just one small thing. One small thing often changes the entire dynamic of a negotiation process leading to a positive ROI. What is that one small thing? It’s not just one thing. In truth, it could be any of thousands of small things.

OUR CLIENT’S STORY

“Give me an example of how you can help me improve my offer,” the prospective client asked. He called the day before saying he had an offer. The negotiations commenced and he needed help.

“What are you trying to achieve?” the agent asked.

“I want new challenges. I’m capped out at my current company in both the job and compensation,” he shared. “But, it’s a good company and I have a lot of flexibility with my schedule.”

“I see. And what about the new offer?” the agent inquired.

“It seems good. The base is higher with a good bonus,” he related. “But, there’s not much flexibility with the schedule. I have two kids at home and I don’t want to live out of a suitcase.”

“So, the travel requirements are an issue,” the agent stated.

“Yes, but I don’t see how you could help me with that,” he said. “What specifically would you do?”

“I’ve handled this issue many times before,” the agent recounted. “If you’re asking for the play-by-play of how I would approach it, I’m afraid I can’t give that to you right now.”

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because you’re not yet a client,” tea gent said. “This is how I make my living. That one small thing I share could make all the difference in the world to you. Then, you wouldn’t need to hire me. It’s not about the amount of work or the amount of time invested. It’s really about the effect of that one small thing.”

“I see. I hadn’t thought about that,” he said.

“And by the way, there are likely more than a few dozen small things in this scenario that can be a game-changer for your outcomes.”