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Sunday, 7 July 2013

How to negotiate a better salary

In negotiations, there is an advantage to offering a figure that is not a round numberPrecise numbers give recruiters the impression that the candidate has thoroughly researched the jobBut actually researching the job is more important, experts sayGood negotiators should be able to justify a high salary

(CNN) -- When it comes to negotiating a salary for a new job it can pay to ask for a precise figure.

New research has suggested that asking for an amount that is less "round" -- like $105,000 instead of $100,000 -- increases the final outcome.

The idea is that precise numbers give recruiters the impression a candidate has thoroughly researched the job.

"It matters because round numbers seem less informed. People who use them seem like they haven't really done their homework, or they're just sort of being arbitrary," said Malia Mason, an associate professor at Columbia Business School, who led the study.

She says the perception that a number came out of nowhere leads negotiation counterparts to be more aggressive in their counteroffers, which translates into worse outcomes for people who make round offers, compared with people who make precise offers.

"Precise numbers are just one way to communicate to people 'don't mess with me' or 'I'm informed, I'm not just throwing some number out there,'" Mason said.

Read more: Can Twitter help you land a job?

Precise numbers are just one way to communicate to people, 'don't mess with me'
Malia MasonThe real burden for the job seekers is to then prove they are not just throwing numbers out there. Mason says actually doing the calculations of how much to ask for, to back up the offer amount, is "far more important" than simply using the precise numbers recommended by the study. Candidates may figure out the going rates for the jobs from Websites or by asking someone within the company who would be open to telling you.

Ramit Sethi, author of "I Will Teach You to Be Rich," offers courses on negotiation using techniques based on his own experience, real-world data from his students and tests that he runs. He says that doing relevant research, and then giving the perception that you have reasons for the dollar figure sought, is the most important part of negotiation.

"When you walk into a room, you should already know not only the pay range of your job, but you should have it documented and printed out and ready to present," Sethi said.

When you walk into a room, you should already know not only the pay range of your job, but you should have it documented and printed out and ready to present
Ramit SethiGood negotiators should be able to justify why they should be paid the higher end of that range, Sethi said. It involves explaining one's experience, knowing the company's challenges and letting the recruiters know how you can solve their problems.

Read more: What does it take to get a job in China?

To show recruiters that you can back up your salary request, Sethi recommends candidates use the "briefcase technique," actually typing up a plan of how they would help the company and pulling it out (possibly from a briefcase) during a negotiation.

"It shows what they would do in 30, 60, 90 days. And when you do this people's jaws drop. And when that happens, five or ten thousand dollars' raise in negotiation is almost trivial. It's almost beside the point, because you're showing how much value you can add to the company," he said.

Mason points out that there are broad benefits to providing reasons in a salary negotiation. Not only does it help convince the recruiter of the candidate's worth, but it gives the recruiter material to back up the decision.

"People don't like being told 'it's my way or the highway.' People like to have reasons," she says. "What you want to do in a negotiation is have your counterpart understand why that number that you're suggesting makes sense, so that he or she can explain to herself why it makes sense, so she can go explain to the rest of her company or the rest of her team why it makes sense."

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Living in Jackson Hole, China

A Chinese developer has built an American-themed town 90 minutes from BeijingThe settlement is named after Jackson Hole, a scenic valley in WyomingHe has sold almost all the houses, with the bigger homes now fetching $1M eachRicher, educated, urban Chinese express more positive view of aspects of America's image

Jackson Hole, China (CNN) -- Looking for a weekend escape from the city, Annie Liu and her husband fell in love at first sight with a log home in Jackson Hole and bought it for less than $300,000.

Five years on, a weekly 90-minute drive from their downtown apartment to the house has long been the norm. They enjoy gardening, barbecuing or simply relaxing in their getaway surrounded by mountains -- but often shrouded in Beijing's infamous smog.

Yes, the couple's three-bedroom weekend home lies on the outskirts of the Chinese capital -- thousands of miles away from the original Jackson Hole valley in the U.S. state of Wyoming, which is known for its breathtaking natural beauty.

The Chinese Jackson Hole is more crowded, containing some 1,000 single-family houses inspired by rustic lodges in the American frontier. Still, wealthy locals are lured to this sprawling development by the promise of living in the "Wild West."

After driving past security guards in cowboy outfits patrolling "Route 66" on golf carts, Liu's husband Lu Jun pulled over their SUV at the end of a cul-de-sac one recent Sunday.

Opening the door to a world of Americana, Liu and Lu -- both lawyers in Beijing -- proudly displayed their fondness for the United States by adding personal touches to the built-in furniture and decoration that evoke the Old West. She studied and worked in Indianapolis for two years from 2003 to 2005, during which time he visited.

READ: Xi Jinping's 'Chinese dream' a fantasy?

Adorning the earthy-toned walls are colorful license plates from the U.S. states -- including Wyoming -- they have traveled to and a large framed copy of the American Declaration of Independence.

"We want more freedom," said Liu, 40, pointing to the framed copy she bought in Florida. "This is a milestone -- (we hang it here) partially for the history, partially for our profession."

"Many people have been to the United States and enjoy the environment there," Lu, 55, added. "Those who haven't think this place is authentic America and they like it."

That's proven to be a great selling point for developer Liu Xiangyang since he -- with the help of an American designer -- launched the Jackson Hole project a decade ago. He has sold almost all the houses, and seen the property value double over the years with the bigger homes now fetching $1 million each. Official data shows that a typical urban resident in China earned less than $4,000 in 2012.

Annie Liu -- who is not related to the developer -- and her husband feel pleased about their purchase as early believers, and bought a second, bigger house here last year. They say other homeowners share their appreciation for the American culture and values that are reflected in the architecture and setting, despite frequent news reports on rising tensions between the two nations.

"We like the States and we like the lifestyle," Liu said. "Let the governments worry about the things that should be worried about by them."

Her sentiment echoes the most recent results of an annual survey on Chinese people's attitude towards the United States by the Pew Research Center, a Washington-based think tank.

Although the Pew study finds Chinese public perceptions of the United States becoming less favorable in 2012, it notes: "There is one constant: richer, younger, more educated, and urban Chinese all express a more positive view of (the soft power) aspects of America's image. And this also holds true for overall ratings of the U.S."

We like the States and we like the lifestyle. Let the governments worry about the things that should be worried about by them.
Annie LiuDeveloper Liu is a fan of the United States as well, overseeing construction for the next phase on his 70-square-kilometer lot -- the size of 13,000 American football fields. His plans include 2,000 townhouses mimicking the feel of Mendocino, a scenic coastal town in northern California, and a winery that he says will rival Napa Valley in ten years.

In between sipping wine and chatting with residents at a lunch gathering on site, the 51-year-old businessman from the central Henan province reflects on his corporate mission.

"For those who can afford to buy houses here, they have enough money," he explained. "They want spiritual fulfillment."

For that, the developer has built a brand new church in the center of his town -- next to a row of small shops, bars and cafes -- serving residents like Annie Liu, who embraced Christianity as a graduate student in the United States.

"This is an 'American' community so it's a necessary element here," said Liu as she walked out of the soon-to-open Jackson Hole church.

Although she misses the natural beauty and cultural diversity of the United States, Liu says she never hesitated about returning to the motherland because of her and her husband's career aspirations and their roots.

Now comfortably settled at work and home back in China, where the Communist leadership is proclaiming national revival as the ultimate Chinese Dream, Liu feels she hasn't completely abandoned the American Dream -- as she and her fellow residents in this fictional U.S. town pursue their freedom and happiness every weekend.

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Philip Green's Hong Kong venture

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There's no escaping robo-boss

iRobot's telepresence robot, set for release in 2014, moves according to the user's commands on an iPad app.Robotic telepresence takes teleconferencing to the next level, allowing users to freely move through a remote workplaceThe robots are designed so the executives' faces appear through a camera on its video screenSo far, such robots have been used more extensively in hospitalsThe practical idea behind robotic telepresence is to put managers physically in two places at the same time

(CNN) -- Over the next few years, offices will start to have robots roaming around on wheels, controlled by managers sitting halfway around the world, with their faces appearing on a video screen.

And it will seem entirely normal, robotics developers say.

The technology, called robotic telepresence, is already under development by dozens of companies and takes teleconferencing to the next level by allowing users to freely move through a remote workplace via a robot.

This means executives can monitor and manage teams from any location, switch their presence among branch offices thousands of miles apart, and visit and interact with colleagues in their work space -- all while navigating robotic avatars.

"Telepresence or visual collaboration is a powerful tool, however historically it's been in a fixed environment, either in a conference room or desktop," said Youssef Saleh, the vice president and general manager of iRobot's remote presence business unit, based in Bedford, Massachusetts.

"With robotic telepresence, that really opens the door for total freedom. Now you could be at any location at any time, anywhere. It's not limited to just a limited set of conference rooms or offices."

Telepresence or visual collaboration is a powerful tool, however historically it's been in a fixed environment, either in a conference room or desktop
Youssef Saleh, iRobotThese robots are designed so executives' faces appear through a camera on the video screen, which sits on a stand that often can be adjusted by the user to be at the right height, depending on the interaction.

Read more: A push for walk-and-talk meetings

The practical idea behind robotic telepresence is to put managers in two places at the same time, providing both cost and time saving in an increasingly global work environment.

So far, such robots have been used more extensively in hospitals, where the expertise of doctors on the other side of the country, or the world, can be crucial for patients.

Use in corporate offices is still at a very early stage. But those in the industry say it is just the next step in making long-distance communication feel more realistic.

Compared to videoconferencing, interacting with a robot has shown to be more similar to face-to-face interaction, according to Cory Kidd, who has a doctorate in human-robot interaction from the MIT Media Lab in the United States. He is also chief executive of Intuitive Automata, a robotics company.

Kidd says that while robotic teleconference technology is improving month to month right now, many people still find the robots awkward and intrusive — a response that is often seen with new ways of doing things.

"If you look at any sort of new communication technology, there is always backlash against it shortly after it comes out," he said.

Videoconferencing and even telephones were seen as strange and unusual when they were first introduced, Kidd pointed out, and as with any new technology that may go mainstream, it will take getting used to.

"The telephone was going to destroy society because it was so intrusive and changes our lives," he said.

Read more: The jobs of tomorrow

If you look at any sort of new communication technology, there is always backlash against it shortly after it comes out
Cory Kidd, Intuitive AutomataResearchers are also trying to find ways to make the human-robot interaction seem more like the users are really present. At the Chinese University of Hong Kong, for example, researchers are developing a telepresence robot that can also convey body language through robotic arms.

"When we communicate, we also observe body motions to understand meaning," said Lam Tin-lun, a research fellow at the university's Advanced Robotics Lab who is heading the project.

Lam says while the technology might seem strange at first, it does not take much time to adapt to an office with colleagues moving around as robots.

When a prototype of his model was tested in an office, he said, after a week or two, the sight of the robot going about its business was no longer a novelty and workers ceased to be surprised by it.

"They stopped looking at the robot and just did what they always needed to do," he said.

As the technology advances over the next few years, prices will also go down, meaning greater accessibility for companies that will not have to sink a huge investment into the systems. RoboDynamics, a robotics maker in Santa Monica, California, has said it will sell telepresence robots for about US$1,000 two years from now.

Read more: How foreigners find jobs in China

One area that developers say will most likely undergo improvements is the interface — what the user's control buttons will look like while directing the robot.

iRobot recently launched a new model, in collaboration with Cisco, that does not need manual driving. When first deployed in a work environment, the model would go all around the office to map the place. Then the user would only have to indicate whose desk or office to go to, using an iPad app, and the robot would drive itself there while avoiding obstacles or people. It also knows how to go back to its charging station when no longer in use.

But one contentious issue that still needs to be worked out is etiquette.

"As you start seeing these in offices and other work environments, people have to get used to it, and there are all these social norms in terms of how you fit in," Kidd said.

"Can a robot walk up and interrupt a conversation you're having? Or should the robot wait because the person is remote? Does it matter who it is on the other end and how do you convey that? So there are a lot of social questions that over the long term are really going to determine the success and the failure of this technology."

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