Highest Paying Jobs That Involve Negotiation

As the job market continues to saturate, organizations have begun looking for people with additional soft skills on top of job requirements. 

According to a survey, 97% of employers stated that soft skills are just as necessary if not more important than hard skills when assessing a candidate.

One soft skill that can land you a high-paying job is the ability to negotiate effectively. Many employers recognize that candidates with good negotiation skills can negotiate well themselves and mediate effectively to resolve disputes between two or more parties.

Negotiation can be defined as the process of discussion between multiple people in order to get an agreement on issues in dispute. 

With the daily transactions every organization has to undergo, this skill can be a gold mine for any employer. 

This article will discuss the benefits of learning negotiation and some of the jobs you can land by improving your negotiation ability.

Benefits Of Learning Negotiation

To be a good negotiator, you need to be able to put yourself in the other person's shoes and understand what motivates them in the transaction. 

A good negotiator can come to a common ground and present a deal that benefits both parties. Furthermore, a good negotiator can create strong agreements and harbor strong relationships with all stakeholders. 

Whether you are looking to get a high-paying job or want to learn negotiation to avoid people taking advantage of you, knowing this soft skill comes with several personal and organizational benefits:

Personal Benefits

A good negotiator can talk their way out of many situations and is constantly aware of their surroundings. Here are some of the personal benefits you get from becoming a powerful negotiator:

• Persuasion: The art of negotiation allows you to persuade a person into agreeing on your terms. This ensures that you reap benefits, and the other party is not left to think that they are getting the short end of the stick

• Seven Elements of Negotiation: A strong negotiator works based on the seven elements of negotiation, which are interests, legitimacy, relationships, alternatives, options, commitment, and communication. Once a person is well-versed in all these elements, they can see themselves negotiating in almost any situation

• Dealing with Unreasonable People: We all run into unreasonable people at some point in our lives, and the ability to negotiate can help you deal with these people effectively and still get what you want

• Closing a Deal: One of the strongest skills of negotiators is their ability to close a deal. A powerful negotiator can prepare for complex situations, overcome obstacles during a deal, address shortcomings, and know precisely when to agree or make a counter-offer. A good negotiator should know how to take control and close a deal

Organizational Benefits

Negotiators are in high demand in the job market, and an individual with this skill can help an organization in the following ways:

• A strong negotiator can add value to an organization by securing promising deals

• Generate better results 

• Reduce instances of missed opportunities resulting from compromised negotiations

• Efficient use of money and time by resolving conflicts through negotiation rather than litigation, grievances, and arbitrations 

• Improve problem-solving between departments and their employees using negotiation skills to get different groups what they want

• Help the organization accomplish pre-defined milestones and goals

• Improve staff management 

Highest Paying Jobs That Require Negotiation

When browsing job vacancies, you will rarely find openings that specifically require negotiation skills; however, it is understood that negotiation skills are necessary for most positions.

Most of these jobs are high-paying, and learning negotiation skills can help you secure one of these jobs (along with the appropriate job specific skills).

Human Resource Manager

An HR manager has to deal with employees daily. As a result, there are situations where the employees may express complaints towards the organization. 

The HR manager's job is to ensure that the employees are satisfied, maintaining the organization's reputation in the job market. 

There are several instances where the HR manager might need to negotiate with the employer and the employees to find common ground. An HR manager may be negotiating with an employee on behalf of their employer, with their employer advocating for themselves or an employee, or mediation a negotiation between two employees.  An HR manager can earn around $58,000 a year.

Lawyer

While lawyers need to have a specialized education, that education often does not fully prepare them for practicing law. In order to be an effective lawyer negotiation skills are vital.

Lawyers are given the task to advise and represent individuals, corporates, and even government departments on disputes and legal issues and often represent their clients in negotiations. 

With that said, a lawyer can earn an average of $99,000 a year.

Sales Representative

Manufacturing and wholesales representatives are tasked with selling goods for manufacturers to other individuals or organizations. 

Sales representatives must contact customers, answer any questions, explain product features, and negotiate prices. Understanding how to negotiate effectively is a critical part of any sales job. People that secure these jobs can earn an average of $48,000 a year.

Mediator

This job requires the individual to help people who are in a dispute to reach a settlement. You are essentially facilitating a negotiation between the parties. Without the right level of negotiation ability, you cannot expect to help them to come to an agreement. 

The primary purpose is to resolve the dispute outside the court system. Many organizations hire mediators, and they can earn an average of $73,000 a year.

Purchasing Manager

Procurement or purchasing managers are tasked with bringing supplies into the organization. They must bring in specific supplies, that achieve the desired result at the lowest rate possible to benefit the organization. 

This requires a high level of negotiation skill, and an average purchasing manager can earn $67,000 a year.

Wrapping Up

Learning how to negotiate isn't just necessary for a job but also for personal growth. It can help you improve your day-to-day interactions with people, and if you are a part of the organization, you can become a valuable asset to your organization. 

Unfortunately, the education system may not specifically train you in improving this skill, but there are several workshops that can build on your ability to negotiate. 

A workshop offers practical methods to improve their negotiation abilities and work towards securing a high-paying job. 

The Stitt Feld Handy Group offers workshops that help you improve your soft skills. These can include negotiation, dealing with difficult people, and other soft skills that can help you improve personally and professionally.