Negotiation Guide for Engineering Master’s Students

Negotiation is a necessary, albeit intimidating, part of the job search process. While it may be tempting to avoid, it is imperative to practice and learn how to conduct negotiations with confidence and humility. Several Pratt Master’s students have even effectively negotiated their internship offers so this is something you can put to use right away.

Discussions around salary, benefits, and other work arrangements are a good way to observe a company’s attitude toward their employees, company culture, values, and transparency. Companies should demonstrate the care and fair compensation for their employees, but you also need to accept responsibility to ask for what you need to be successful. This may involve salary, work location, training, job title, paid vacation, scheduling flexibility, and more.

Consider what you’ve learned about yourself through the Career Design & Strategy course (if you’ve taken it) and your life to inform what requests you make and how important they are to accepting or declining an offer (dealbreakers).

Credit: storyset via Freepik

When?

It’s never too early to start preparing for negotiations. To do this well, it takes careful research so start getting your facts and numbers together now so you can focus on practicing and nailing it when its closer to interview time.

Salary is usually discussed at:

  • Application – desired salary
  • Late stage interviewing – confirming that your desired salary matches the employer’s available range
  • Offer – an initial offer may be given verbally, but isn’t official until the offer letter is received. This is the beginning of negotiation.

Steps for Success

Research.

  • Factors that effect salary and require research:
    • Current Economy
    • Industry & Market Demand
    • Geographic Location
    • Company size & structure (startup vs. multinational corporation)
    • Internal policies & limits (e.g. salary bands, required qualifications)
  • Salary Norms: What is reasonable to expect given your experience, education, and the factors above? Start with these sites.
  • Brainstorm & Get Creative:
    • Learn what things outside of salary can be negotiated
    • See what others have negotiated successfully and how you might adapt your ask for your specific opportunity

Reflect.

  • Review Your Financial Situation: know what you need to meet your obligations and support the kind of life you want.
  • Your Values: these determine what makes a role valuable and inform what things beyond salary are worth negotiating. Try this sorting exercise from think2perform to distill what really matters to you.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

There is no replacement for practice. Negotiation requires active listening, strategy, navigating sensitive topics, and collaboration. These are all skills and require thought and iteration to do well.

Recommended Models & Frameworks

  • Concept: This model suggests that a successful negotiation passes through three levels: Agreement (base), Consensus (middle), and Commitment (top). Each level builds on the previous one, with the final goal being mutual commitment to the negotiated terms.
  • Example: In a salary negotiation, the base might be agreeing on the salary range, the middle could be reaching consensus on benefits, and the top level would be the formal commitment to the terms in the employment contract.

Citation: Malhotra, D., & Bazerman, M. H. (2007). Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond. Bantam.

  • Concept: After reaching an initial agreement, the nibble technique involves asking for small additional concessions that are unlikely to be refused because they are minor compared to the larger deal.
  • Example: After agreeing on a salary, you might ask for an additional perk, like a signing bonus or a flexible work schedule, as a “nibble.”

Citation: Dawson, R. (1995). Secrets of Power Negotiating. Career Press.

  • Concept: This principle is based on the idea that people feel obligated to return favors. In salary negotiations, offering something of value (e.g., flexibility on start dates or willingness to take on additional responsibilities) can lead the other party to reciprocate with a better offer.
  • Example: You might offer to lead a new project that’s critical to the company, creating a situation where the employer feels compelled to offer a higher salary or better benefits.

Citation: Cialdini, R. B. (2006). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Harper Business.

  • Prepare: Research the company, industry standards, and your own worth before entering negotiations.
  • Probe: Ask questions to understand the employer’s constraints and flexibility.
  • Propose: Make your proposal based on what you’ve learned during the probing phase.
  • Example: Before negotiating, you might research the average salary for your position in the industry (Prepare), ask the employer about their budget and priorities (Probe), and then propose a salary figure that reflects both your research and their stated constraints (Propose).

Citation: Gosselin, T. (2007). Practical Negotiating: Tools, Tactics & Techniques. Wiley.

Useful References

Leverage your specific CliftonStrengths themes in negotiations. Check out the following examples!

Strategic Thinking

  • Analytical: Use your ability to analyze data to prepare thoroughly for negotiations. Present well-researched arguments backed by evidence.
  • Futuristic: Envision long-term outcomes and use this to frame the negotiation around future possibilities, helping others see the potential benefits.
  • Context: Draw on past experiences and lessons learned to inform your negotiation strategy, ensuring that you avoid past pitfalls.

Influencing

  • Activator: Use your energy and initiative to drive the negotiation forward, setting a positive pace and encouraging action.
  • Command: Take charge of the negotiation by confidently stating your needs and standing firm on key issues.
  • Communication: Articulate your points clearly and persuasively, using storytelling to make your arguments more compelling.

Relationship Building

  • Empathy: Tune into the emotions of the other party, addressing their concerns and fostering a collaborative atmosphere.
  • Harmony: Focus on finding common ground and resolving conflicts amicably, which can lead to win-win outcomes.
  • Includer: Ensure all voices are heard in a negotiation, which can help build consensus and make the agreement more robust.

Executing

  • Achiever: Set clear goals for the negotiation and demonstrate your commitment to reaching them, which can inspire confidence in your counterparts.
  • Focus: Stay disciplined and on track, keeping the negotiation aligned with your objectives.
  • Responsibility: Honor commitments made during the negotiation process, which builds trust and solidifies relationships.

Maximizer

  • Approach: Highlight your track record of taking good work and making it excellent, and use this to justify a higher salary or additional responsibilities.
  • Strategy: Emphasize your ability to maximize resources and outcomes, offering specific examples of how you’ve done this in the past.
  • Negotiation Point: “I’ve consistently turned high-potential projects into major successes, and I believe this role will allow me to do the same, which is why I’m seeking a compensation package that reflects that value.”

Prompt genAI to synthesize your preparatory research to distill trends and inform your requests

Prompt genAI to provide a tiered approach to your asks then adjust it to fit your values and preferences. This will give you several contingencies to explore if your first request is denied

Additional Resources:

Duke:

Courses:

Articles:

YouTube Video by Jeff Su: How to Negotiate Salary After Job Offer

The Dream Job System podcast episode: How to Negotiate a Salary You Deserve