What are Non-Negotiables?
Non-negotiables are needs that a job must satisfy to be viable.
While that might seem pretty obvious at first, most career transitioners, particularly educators who are considering transitioning out of the classrooms that I speak with are focused on three primary things:
1. salary
2. medical benefits
3. remote work or work location
While these are important – arguably some of the most important – they aren’t the only factors to consider when deciding which career paths, companies, and individual jobs to pursue. I would encourage you to consider the following factors (though some of these may fall into the negotiable category for some of you).
These should be included in the job description. If they're not - the hiring manager should be able to tell you about these via email or during an interview.
Stock Options or RSUs
Time Off Policy
Travel Requirements
Flexible Hours
Maternity/Paternity Policy
401K Options and Matching
Internet and Other Tech Assistance
Role Responsibilities
Find these on Glassdoor, Indeed, other Data Gathering Websites, and through Informational Interviews
DEI Statistics
Continuing Education Allowance
Autonomy and Management
(Actual) Travel Requirements
(Actual) Flexible Hours
Responsibility Creep
Work/Life Balance
Maternity/Paternity Policy
CEO Approval Ratings
Growth Opportunities
Child Care Allowance
Employee Recommendations
Why should I establish these before I start my job hunt?
Establishing non-negotiables prior to your job search can help you eliminate entire career paths, whole companies, career sectors, and individuals jobs.
Why does that matter? Applications that you send out to companies, careers, and jobs that don’t fit your needs, your family needs, or your professional and personal values are ultimately a waste of time and energy either because you won’t accept the position or because you will spin your wheels in a job that you aren’t happy at.
Save yourself the headache and stress now and only apply for positions that make sense.
Can I have negotiables...?
Oh. For sure.
I break negotiables into two sub-categories – “Would be Nice” and “Gravy”.
Would be Nice’s are the things that a company can offer that could make the difference between accepting two similar offers.
Gravy’s are things a company offers that just sweeten the deal.
Helpful hint: I like to keep track of Gravy’s because, during your time at a company, you’ll see morale ebbs – meaning you’ll go through phases when things get rough and it can be nice to remember why you were really excited about accepting this position in the first place – whether that was the free gym membership, being the first person in your department, an allowance toward childcare, etc. While it may not be a reason to stay in a job, it may help to take the edge off during a rough patch. (p.s. I am speaking from experience here.)
How do I organize these categories so that I can make the best decision for myself and/or my family?
Wow. Was that a perfect segue/leading question or what?!
Let me first start by stating the obvious – everyone’s non-negotiable list looks different than everyone else’s.
Mine, when I first transitioned from the classroom looked pretty restrictive because I had a 1.5 year old and an infant. That meant that anything that required travel (think most sales and in-person training and professional development positions) was explicitly off the table.
On the flip side, I had (and still have) a really supportive and fantastic partner in a position that pays well so we could afford private medical for a while so I could be a little more flexible there.
The most effective way that I’ve found to organize non-negotiables vs. negotiables is to arrange them in a classic x/y table, like in the infographic to the left.
I’ve arranged my categories/considerations along the y axis with non-negotiables in the first position along the x axis and negotiables, “would be nice’s” and “gravy’s” in the second and third positions along the x axis, respectively.
Let me first start by stating the obvious – everyone’s non-negotiable list looks different than everyone else’s.
Mine, when I first transitioned from the classroom looked pretty restrictive because I had a 1.5 year old and an infant. That meant that anything that required travel (think most sales and in-person training and professional development positions) was explicitly off the table.
On the flip side, I had (and still have) a really supportive and fantastic partner in a position that pays well so we could afford private medical for a while so I could be a little more flexible there.
The most effective way that I’ve found to organize non-negotiables vs. negotiables is to arrange them in a classic x/y table, like in the infographic above.
I’ve arranged my categories/considerations along the y axis with non-negotiables in the first position along the x axis and negotiables, “would be nice’s” and “gravy’s” in the second and third positions along the x axis, respectively.
Q&A
Can I have too many non-negotiables?
The short answer is no.
You have as many non-negotiables as you have.
Where things get tricky is when negotiables start sneaking in to your non-negotiables list. I see this most often with remote work. With the hype surrounding remote work, some (a lot) of people feel that remote work is a non-negotiable and, to be frank, most of the time, it’s not. Let me give an example before I get hit with a rotten tomato.
If you’re offered a position within a reasonable commute to your home and you have no reason that you can’t commute (i.e. childcare, medical, elderly relative, etc.) and the position checks all of your non-negotiables, then the position being hybrid or in-person isn’t a deal breaker. Remote work then, is a “Would be Nice”.
There are potentially ways to negotiate for flexibility with certain positions but again – don’t confuse those “Would be Nice’s” for Non-Negotiables.
What if I get two or more job offers that meet my minimum non-negotiables?
First of all – congratulations!
Second, this is when those negotiables can really come in handy. Weigh both positions against each other first using the non-negotiables.
If the positions are truly comparable and not significantly different, then look at the “Would be Nice’s” – does one job offer some really incredible perk that makes it a stand-out against the other (i.e. continuing education allowance, gym membership, the option to bring your dog into the office on Fridays)?
If those are pretty similar, compare the “Gravy’s” and see how the two jobs stack up.
At the end of the day, if you’re comparing two similar offers by negotiables, you’re in a great spot. You should be incredibly proud of yourself and all of the work that you’ve put into your job search.
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