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Sometimes people have a sense of fair play that dictates to them that if both sides give equally, then that's fair.
- Don't fall into the trap of thinking that splitting the difference is the fair thing to do when you can't resolve a difference in salary expectations with the other side.
- Splitting the difference doesn't mean down the middle because you can do it more than once.
- Never offer to split the difference yourself, but always encourage the employer to offer to split the difference.
- By getting them to offer to split the difference, you put them in a position of suggesting the compromise. Then you can reluctantly agree to their proposal, making them feel that they won.
You have asked for $120,000 and they have offered $110,000. After negotiating for a while you’ve been able to get the employer up to $112,000 and you've come down to $118,000.
Instead of splitting the difference, say: “It seems like such a shame it's not coming together, when we are only $6,000 apart.” Stress the time you have spent negotiating for such a small amount. Eventually the employer will say “Why don't we split the difference?” Since that would mean the employer would come up to $115,000 That shifts the negotiating range from $115,000 to $118,000. Say you have to discuss with the family and that you can't go any lower, and then repeat the gambit again: “But, we are only $3,000 apart” and try to make them offer split the difference again.