How to Negotiate Your Employment Agreement Unexpectedly

By Cord Harper, CEO and Founder of Endeavor Agency

February 21, 2020

 Sometimes the need to negotiate your employment agreement lands in your lap unexpectedly. Do you know how to handle this situation on a moment’s notice?


UNEXPECTED NEGOTIATING YOUR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

The boss calls you into the office and hands you some papers. “It’s been a tough year and we have to make some adjustments,” he says. “This is an amendment to your agreement for this year’s bonus plan. I need you to sign it.”


You weren’t expecting this and didn’t even realize it had been that bad a year. You look at the new plan and see it’s a sizable cut to your bonus. “Um…I, uh, don’t know….,” you stammer not knowing what to say.

“Look, it is what it is. We don’t really have much say in the matter,” your boss continues. “The CFO wants these back by the end of the day.”


Don’t sign anything on the spot. The pressure applied is completely unfair, especially given the unreasonable time constraints. The company took more than a few hours to reach this decision and draft the amendment. You should have at least a few days to consider your options.


There are options. The challenge in this scenario is having enough time and clear thoughts to consider what they are. The best thing to do right away is seek expert guidance. Sometimes it’s hard to get an expert on the phone on short notice. When this kind of call comes in I make time to help.


Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help to negotiate your employment agreement now.

Contact Endeavor

About Endeavor Agency


Endeavor Agency is a leading executive career coaching company helping individual executives, VPs, senior managers, professionals, and recent college graduates find the jobs they truly want. Our additional resources, expertise, and career change specialists help our clients uncover more and better job opportunities than what they could access on their own.


Endeavor Agency helps rebrand clients to effectively communicate their value throughout the interview process and increase their odds dramatically of winning offers. Additionally, Endeavor Agency helps clients achieve better results in negotiating the terms of their employment agreements.


Endeavor Agency also provides executive coaching, outplacement services, and business consulting services. Endeavor can also help guide executives focused on the private equity and venture capital market segments.

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