Negotiate Professionally Negotiating does not have to be bellicose. A lot can be accomplished through a calm exchange of positions, wishes, and needs. The long-term goal of the negotiations is a productive, ongoing working relationship based on a contract that provides advantages for all involved. Sometimes an employer tells you a contract is nonnegotiable. That is a bargaining stance.
All contracts are negotiable to some degree.
It is up to you to find the negotiable points and to exploit them to your advantage. The real trick to negotiating is a carefully thought-out strategy. Consider what you want out of the deal. Then divide your wishes into categories based on desirability. The things you absolutely cannot live without.