Former sports agent and author Molly Fletcher shares advice on how to handle any negotiation. Connect: Professional Women’s Network is online community with more than 375,000 members that discusses issues relevant to women and their success. The free LinkedIn group powered by Citi also features videos interviews with influential businesswomen, live Q&As with experts and slideshows with career advice. To learn more and join the conversation in the largest women's group on LinkedIn, visit http://www.linkedin.com/womenconnect.

1. BROUGHT TO YOU BY
NEGOTIATE
YOUR WAY
TO A WIN.
EVERY
TIME.

2. Nicknamed “the female Jerry
Maguire,” Fletcher spent the first 20
years of her career as a sports agent,
representing everyone from pro
baseball players to college coaches.
As one of the only female agents in the
industry, she held her own against male
counterparts in the “old boys’ club.”
Today, she uses her experience to
educate and inspire, speaking to
audiences around the country about
topics like women in leadership and
personal development.
MEET MOLLY FLETCHER!

3. Just after the publication of
her latest book, A Winner’s
Guide to Negotiation: How
Conversation Gets Things Done,
Molly answered questions about
negotiation from members of
Connect: Professional Women’s
Network. Here’s some of her most
popular advice.

4. MOLLY’S 5-STEP PROCESS TO
HANDLE ANY NEGOTIATION:
1. Set the stage
2. Find common ground
3. Ask with confidence
4. Embrace the pause
5. Know when to leave

5. How do you negotiate a fair salary? It’s easiest to negotiate when you
have the job offer. Make sure you know your comparables (comps)—
the industry standard for your position—as these set the baseline. If
they’re not readily available, dig for them! You may have to use your
relationships with current/former colleagues or others who work in the
same industry to get them.

6. How do you negotiate a job offer when you’re currently unemployed?
Reframe your perspective. The focus shouldn’t be that you’re unemployed,
but that you have an opportunity where you can deliver. You have to
believe that you have tremendous value. The employer has no idea of your
other options, and that’s to your advantage. They should know you’re not
in a hurry to make just any deal.

7. Should recent college graduates negotiate or wait until they
have more experience? Negotiate! It can be intimidating, but
that’s why it’s even more important to do it early in your career
—you get better with practice! An initial job offer is the easiest
time to negotiate, and it is usually expected.

8. “NOT NEGOTIATING
A FIRST JOB OFFER
CAN COST YOU
OVER $500,000
DURING THE
COURSE OF
A CAREER. ”

9. How should a woman
negotiate for her career
development and
progression? You have to be
articulate about how you can
positively impact the overall
organization. Demonstrate the
value your development
creates for them and how it
benefits them. Turnover is
costly, so normally it’s to their
advantage to help you grow.

10. How do you negotiate a win-win contract and maintain it? Start by
listening to the other party and understanding what they value and
what’s important to them. Then marry that with what your needs are.
Anticipate what a successful multi-year deal looks like for both of you.
Communicate that it’s important to you for this to be a win-win deal
and a relationship that carries over each year.

11. How can I negotiate in a male-dominated field without coming
across as aggressive? Be authentic. One of the biggest mistakes
I see women make is that they feel they have to take on a
different persona to negotiate effectively. I’ve never seen that
work. Be who you are, and play to your strengths.

12. “Men negotiate about
four times more often
than women, but when
the guidelines are clearer,
women negotiate at the
same rate and just as
effectively.”

13. You recommend embracing the pause when negotiating. How can I
do this? Learn from the media. Ever notice how they ask a question
and then stop talking? That’s what you have to do after you lob a
tough question. Practice it at small stakes to get comfortable. It’s
amazing to see the information you gain from the other side when you
master this.

14. What should you do if you negotiate and get a “no”? Try to understand why
they don’t see what you see. Then use it as an opportunity to set the stage. Set
the expectation that “if I do X, Y, Z, then we can revisit this conversation.” If
you do accept the initial terms but are unhappy, communicate that you don’t
like the terms of the deal, but you’re accepting because you know you can
deliver and you’ve set the expectation that the arrangement will be revisited.

15. How do you negotiate with someone who would rather engage in a
battle? You cannot allow yourself to get sucked in. Steer the
conversation back to what you’re there to do, and they’ll realize that
you aren’t going to engage. Remove undue emotion. And if they still
engage in battle, ask them, “Do you want to get a deal done? What
does a good deal look like to you?”

16. “An effective
negotiation is about
conversation and
relationships. It
doesn’t have to be
playing hardball.”

17. How do you know when it’s time to stop analyzing and take action?
When you start seeing missed opportunities or lost deals. Think of it
like a quarterback in the “pocket” in football. If he stays in the pocket
all day looking for an opportunity, he’s going to get sacked. Recognize
the opportunity before your pocket starts to collapse.

18. Do you use the same negotiation skills in your personal life as in
your professional life? The core of negotiating is the same. You
have to be prepared. You have to connect and know what matters.
You have to have the courage to ask for what you want. You can’t
overleverage and damage the relationship.

19. “When women don’t
negotiate, they sacrifice
more than just money. They
also miss out on
opportunities for exposure,
training and an upward
career trajectory.”

20. ©2014 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
LinkedIn and Citi’s Connect: Professional Women’s
Network is an online community with more than 375,000
members that helps women achieve the careers they want
and discuss issues relevant to their success. Visit
linkedin.com/womenconnect for more information
and to join the group for free!
For more great insights on negotiation,
check out Molly Fletcher’s
live discussion in Connect.

21. CONNECT: PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S NETWORK©2014 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 21