NDM Interview Blog Post

   For my Interview Blog Post, I chose to interview gospel jazz instrumentalist/recording artist/performer Jeff Majors. He has released 17 studio albums to date, with 6 of them charting on either the Billboard Magazine Gospel Albums chart, the Billboard Magazine R&B Albums chart, or both. He is also the host of “The Gospel of Music” television show on the TV One Network. I am currently working with Jeff, troubleshooting and upgrading his studio’s computer system, as well as mixing the tracks for his next studio album release. This gave me a chance to ask Jeff these 3 questions about business negotiations when making arrangements for stage performances.

1)   Q. How do you separate the people from the problem when you are negotiating? What tips do you have for new negotiators who are trying to do this?

      A. A very common salary negotiation error is focusing on what you feel you need or deserve rather than on your skill and the value you bring to the prospective employer. Employers don’t care that your salary won’t cover your mortgage or student loan payments or even your living expenses. If you plan to negotiate a job offer, do it based on solid research and a clear demonstration of your value to the organization. Don’t ever tell the employer that you need a certain salary.

2)   Q. How do you handle positional bargaining tactics?

      A. Settling for a lower salary than you are worth has some major negative financial consequences. Probably the biggest mistake you can make is simply deciding to settle and accept whatever offer you receive. You must be firm with the terms that you want included in the contract.

3)   Q. Can you give me an example of how you worked toward mutual benefit when you were negotiating a deal?

      A. Some employers will also ask what salary you’re looking for. In all these situations, you need to carefully decide how you’ll handle the situation. The earlier you give up this kind of information, the less room you’ll have for negotiating a better offer when the time arrives. Always try to remain as noncommittal as possible when asked about your salary requirements too early in the interview process.

http://brianirvingengineer.blogspot.com/2015/12/ndm-interview-blog-post.html