People are on the move. You’ve scored a tempting—but not perfect—job offer. Do you bring it to your boss?
It can be a powerful negotiating position, one that could end with what you really want: a promotion, more money, the ability to work remotely for the long term.
Then again, the worst-case scenarios aren’t great. Instead of enjoying the rush of a raise, you could be left with a new job you don’t want, or hard feelings and high expectations if you stay.
How do you know whether to broach the conversation or just make a decision on your own, quietly? And if you do put it out there, how do you minimize the risk of it all going wrong?
“It doesn’t have to be a standoff,” says Michele Woodward, an executive coach in Washington, D.C. She recommends negotiating with your boss when the outside offer is about 80% of the way to your dream job. “It’s like dating. You have to express your interest in remaining in the relationship.”
