MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST: Employer

ROLE PLAYING SCRIPT FOR EMPLOYER,
Ms. Powers, Bryant University, Spring 2008

It is Spring 2008. You are the Senior Vice President for Human Resources at Worldwide Advisors (WA), a boutique consulting firm with headquarters in Boston and offices throughout the world. WA has an outstanding reputation and is engaged by the most prestigious corporate clients in the world. Worldwide Advisors specializes in designing competitive strategies for corporate and business units, mergers and acquisitions, and innovative growth strategies. Among their most valued clients are flourishing communications technology manufacturers, energy technology manufacturers and medical products manufacturers located in the US, Europe and Asia.

Every year, WA hires 10 college graduates as entry level market research analysts to meet the needs of the ever-growing demands of their business clients. These positions at WA are highly sought after and the competition is fierce. You are well aware that some of WA’s most successful executives were Bryant University graduates who started out in this position and advanced through the ranks to become today’s leadership in the firm.

Because of Worldwide Advisors reputation, you are swamped with applicants for these ten positions. You have already interviewed three dozen highly qualified applicants who will be graduating in the spring of 2008. You’ve been hiring for these positions for five years now and know the type person who would fit well in the culture and share the values of WA. Every once in awhile, an applicant comes along who shows you something special. You know immediately that this person would be of great value to WA for many, many years and you soften on driving a hard financial bargain because of the person’s exceptional potential. You’re never quite sure what that ‘something special’ is, but you know it when you see it and you see it in Ms. Tuli.

You interviewed Ms. Tuli yesterday. You were impressed with her poise and her work ethic as revealed when she discussed her work experience with a Providence, RI consulting firm, her community service work at a long term care facility, and her 3.8 GPA. She has exactly the qualities WA seeks in newly hired staff. At the end of the interview you offered her a job as an entry level market research analyst and asked her to return today to set her salary and start date.

As the consummate human resources professional, you offer competitive salaries. Www.wageproject.org tells you that for the job title market research analyst 1, the salary range is $46,000-$59,000 with a median salary of $52,000 for the Boston office. The benefits for this position add another $23,000 to the compensation package.

Because WA is such a desirable employer and so many fresh-minted graduates want to work for you, WA typically pays new hires at the low end of the salary range. Last year, WA’s starting salary for this position was $47,000. You don’t see any reason to start with an offer any higher than that. In fact, three people have already accepted offers at that salary. The WA benefits package for this position is approximately $15,000.

Ms. Tuli’s job offer is the last piece of your work for the day. You have to leave in 15 minutes to get to the seminar in which you are the featured speaker.

When you and Ms. Tuli sit down to talk, your opening lines to her are:

“We’re so pleased that you want to work for Worldwide Advisors. You’ll be a wonderful addition to our team.

We have just a couple details to settle and you can sign our contract and we’ll see you after graduation.

I am authorized to offer you a starting salary of $47,000. You will be entitled to the standard benefits package all new employees get and we’d like you to start work in the Boston headquarters on June 1, 2008.

If that’s okay with you, please read over this contract, sign it and you’ll be one of the WA family!”

See how she reacts. Listen to her. Write down what points might persuade you to raise this offer. Write down what language she might use would make you hold the line and not raise her starting salary and why. Write down what objections you would raise if she wants more money. Discuss thoughtfully with her because you want her to accept your job offer.

In this discussion, see what is the lowest starting salary that you can get her to accept and get her to accept a specific salary in the 15 minutes before you have to leave.

Remember, you made her a job offer because you were very impressed with her. Now it’s time to get her to work at Worldwide Associates.

Good luck!