On Thu, December 7, 2006 11:16 pm, Andrew Lentvorski wrote:
> Lan Barnes wrote:
>
>> When you get with HR, they're pros.
>
> Really?

That's been my experience.

>
> I have never worked at a technical company which gave any negotiation
> latitude to the HR people.  Only the hiring manager had that latitude.
>

Maybe we've worked at different size enterprises. Where I've interviewed,
managers peg the slot, vote up or down, and say how eager they are. HR
does the negotiations.

> This is not a zero sum game.  Both sides need to feel that they are
> getting their money's worth.  Both sides have to work with one another
> after this negotiation.  Generally, a hiring manager will go back to the
> well *once* for a candidate.  However, that's it.
>

yes

> Good companies will make the offer that they can.  You can negotiate
> some, but you aren't likely to get more than 10% movement if the company
> is behaving respectably.
>

more yes

>> Remember, if you squeeze too much out of them, they'll expect you to
>> walk
>> on water, which puts you in a hell of a situation out of the box.
>
> Personally, that doesn't bother me.  I know that I walk on water.
>
> I'm modest, too.
>

It should. It permeates your relationship. Doing a good job takes what it
takes. Most of my work in a new place entails assessing their use of and
adherence to standards and process; then selling/seducing everybody on
improving or tightening (or introducing) standards and process. That takes
time. The best practices are all already developed, no time needed to look
them up. The time is in getting people to buy into them and own them.

I'm good at it, but changing people's minds, especially when they're
defensive, takes time. If my new boss is under pressure to get me to
produce and produce fast, I'm set up to fail from the git go.

I try to make this clear in the interviews because it shows I know what
I'm doing and it manages expectations. But too much money complicates it.
I've been there. No fun.

-- 
Lan Barnes

SCM Analyst              Linux Guy
Tcl/Tk Enthusiast        Biodiesel Brewer


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