A company I was working for
wanted to extend my contract
for four months.
I didn’t have a problem with that.
The project wasn’t yet complete.
I needed to continue.
I gave them my word I’d be there
for the four months.
What I wanted, though,
was two extensions of two months.
That way I could tell future companies
I had two extensions
rather than one.
The company absolutely refused.
They said four months or nothing.
My rate was fixed for a year.
The refusal wasn’t about price or length.
It was my manager not wanting
to sign two contracts rather than one.
If they wanted to play that way,
fine,
I could play that way also.
I completed the project
but gave them not a single freebie.
They weren’t willing to give to me.
I wasn’t willing to give to them.
If you think
by sticking to your guns,
you’re giving up nothing in negotiations,
you’re wrong.
The other party will always
work out a way to even the exchange.