Do not be arrogant or pushy
If you sound arrogant, pushy or offensive, then the employer will not be inclined to make you a better offer. They may also reconsider whether you are the kind of person they want to hire and could retract the offer entirely.
Do not ask for too many changes
If you sound arrogant, pushy or offensive, then the employer will not be inclined to make you a better offer. They may also reconsider whether you are the kind of person they want to hire and could retract the offer entirely.
Do not talk about your expenses
You may need a higher salary to cover your rent or pay off your student loan, but don’t mention this in your counter proposal. Justification for your counter proposal should focus solely on the value you would bring to the company.
Do not negotiate just to negotiate
Resist the temptation to prove that you are a great negotiator. MBA students who have just taken a class on negotiation are plagued by this problem: They go bargaining berserk the first chance they get, which is with a prospective employer. My advice: If something is important to you, absolutely negotiate. But don’t haggle over every little thing. Fighting to get just a bit more can rub people the wrong way—and can limit your ability to negotiate with the company later in your career, when it may matter more.
Do not haggle on a particular issue from moving forward
Resist the temptation to prove that you are a great negotiator. MBA students who have just taken a class on negotiation are plagued by this problem: They go bargaining berserk the first chance they get, which is with a prospective employer. My advice: If something is important to you, absolutely negotiate. But don’t haggle over every little thing. Fighting to get just a bit more can rub people the wrong way—and can limit your ability to negotiate with the company later in your career, when it may matter more.