Name: Sabastina Ellingsworth

Instructor: Victoria Narkon and Dianne Lancaster

Class: Negotiation
Due: 03-12-2018
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Project: Job Offer Negotiation Simulation

Interviewer: Melissa Canfield
Position: Chief Procurement Officer (CPO)
Where: Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Salem, Oregon
When: February 21st, 2018
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The Oregon Department of Transportation mission (ODOT) is to provide a “safe and
reliable multimodal transportation system that connects people and helps Oregon's communities
and economy thrive.” One of ODOT’s values is “[e]xcellence: We use our skills and expertise to
continuously strive to be more efficient, effective and innova[tive].” ODOT’s mission and values
are tied to the administrative specialist position. Its duties include: providing support to the
managers and employees, assisting in daily office needs, managing the company’s general
administrative activities, and developing collaborative and positive working relationships with
managers, teammates, and crews.
I met with Melissa Canfield, Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), and we discussed the
position, its responsibilities, and her expectations on the job. She also mentioned some of the
tasks the position entails which include:
 Processing data entry payments with accuracy and resolving any discrepancies
 Receiving, sorting, copying, distributing, tracking, and filing incoming and outgoing mail
 Responding to messages from internal and external customers including the public in
person or via phone, fax, or email; composing, and editing written correspondence,
reports, meeting minutes, memos, and other various written materials
 Arranging and scheduling various meetings, trainings, and venue locations
 Scheduling, tracking, and making travel reservations, providing general support to the
office coordinator, and management teams etc.
 Before the interview, I researched the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) job
site and three other private organizations with the same openings. I noted the salary and benefits,
and the requirements and qualifications needed for the position. After comparing the agencies, I
examined myself and asked the following questions:
 Do I really want to work for this agency? How long do I want to work for?
 Do my qualifications and experience meet the requirements?
 Is the position something I will enjoy doing? What is the working environment?
 How much should I negotiate? Should I negotiate for benefits or should I let it be open?
 Are there further opportunities attached to the position?
After answering the questions, I chose ODOT because it has better working conditions and
benefits. I noted down my BATNA/reservation target point and practiced for the interview. I
contacted Ms. Canfield; a date and time were set for the interview.

On the interview day, I arrived on time and was welcomed by her. She briefed me on the
administrative specialist position and what she expects. She offered $3,500 per month for the
administrative position. I thanked her for the offer and talked briefly about my skills and
qualifications. I explained my strengths, experience, and achievements in my previous jobs. I
brought up some skills and achievements which are not related to the position but can benefit the
organization. I shared, for example, a plan I came up with to help my previous marketing team.
The plan was to introduce promotional bonuses to the retailers. Adopting the plan increased sales
from 5% to 15% in six months. After stating my reasons, I made a counter to her original offer. I
gave a range between $4,000 and $4,500 per month.

She insisted on offering $3,500. I restated my accomplishments by giving more examples

of what I can bring to the company. I would prove to be an asset and can contribute to the growth
and success of the department. After negotiating back and forth, I asked her about the benefits
associated with the position. She mentioned medical, vision, and dental insurance, retirement
benefits, paid leave, and other benefits such as sick leave, vacation leave, ten paid holidays, 24
hours personal leave, and flexibility time etc. After mentioning the benefits, she said, “The offer
is still $3,500.” I pondered over the benefits and offer. I made a concession to settle on $3,600
with benefits but she still stood her ground. I finally conceded to $3,500 and thanked her for her
time and the offer. I told her I would get back to her with my final decision the next day. She
agreed, and we ended our meeting.

The salary range ODOT offers for the administrative specialist ranges from $2,461 -
$3,431 per month with benefits as compared to the other private organizations’ salaries of $1,600
- $2,647 per month. In the end, I could have negotiated better because I felt overwhelmed with
all the benefits associated with the salary and conceded on $3,500. Initially, my BATNA was
$3,800 and I planned not to settle below that, which of course I ended up doing. After the
negotiation was settled, Melissa and I traded places as interviewee and interviewer respectively.
We got into a negotiation, talked about skills, and she explained why she deserved to be paid
$4,000 per month with benefits and not $3,500 per month. She cited examples of her
achievements, the goals she accomplished, and what she can bring to the department. She
emphasized her experience, both related and non-related, and gave examples of her
achievements. She explained why she would benefit the department if hired and expressed her
interest in the position. She convinced me to agree to pay her $4,000 per month with benefits.

At the end of the negotiation, I asked for her recommendation on my performance and
where improvements are needed. She suggested the following:
 To build confidence, express interest in the position
 Prove I qualify for the position and talk about my success in my previous jobs
 Listen to what the negotiator says and relate it to my skills and capabilities and tell them
why I qualify and deserve that offer
 Ask for the benefits associated with the position and never give a range in a salary
negotiation
 Never negotiate lower or higher because sometimes the difference wouldn’t matter, e.g.,
a negotiator offers $490, and the applicant counter offers $500. The difference of $10
isn’t realistic, so a negotiator would think either the applicant doesn’t know what he/she
wants or is not serious
 Finally, practice, practice, practice
 My experience with Melissa was eye-opening, and a significant learning experience. I
learned that before going for an interview or job offer negotiation, it is best to be prepared. To be
prepared, I must determine what I really want by projecting forward in time and to be concerned
with things such as retirement and benefits. Another thing to do during the preparation is to
research the company’s mission, values, and salaries. This can be done through looking it up on
the web; finding job listings with specific pay levels and contact people who hold similar jobs
and ask, “what they think the market is”, “but not their salary.” Next is to determine the BATNA
and Aspiration Point and think of what might improve the BATNA. Next is to research the
employer’s BATNA, determine the issue mix, and prepare several scenarios should negotiation
not go as planned, and finally ask for guidance from an experienced job coach.

I also learned that during the negotiation, it is best to think of a way to position and
present the opening offer and avoid rounding numbers. It is also good to assume the offer is
negotiable and put the focus on how one can solve problems, not make demands. Next, keep
BATNA or Reservation Point secret, rehearse and practice, and imagine negotiating on behalf of
someone else. Finally, what I learned after the post-offer is always to think before posting on
social media. Never immediately agree to an offer, get the offer in writing, and consult others for
help. Be enthusiastic and gracious, access the interviewer’s power to negotiate, and never
negotiate if not interested in the job/offer. Pay attention to time with exploding offers, never
create a bidding war, and know when to stop pushing.

In conclusion, my experience with Melissa Canfield and the Job Offer Negotiation
Simulation was an eye-opening and significant learning experience. While certain modules
within the course seemed intuitive and straightforward to me, the majority were difficult and
required critical thinking, knowledge and application of course concepts, and creativity to be
successful. I would, by no means, classify the negotiation simulation as easy. At the same time, it
has enlightened me about the importance of researching the counterparty (negotiator) offers.
Next, it has helped me to recognize the need to be prepared and know what I want from the
negotiation. Finally, it is best to seek counsel from experienced job coaches and above all,
practice makes perfect.