Do Employers Hold All The Cards?

Feeling that you are at the mercy of employers during your job search is common and understandable. After all, they are making the decision, and we are waiting on them to make the decision. The power, apparently, is all in their hands.

Or is it?

As much as many of us are in the situation now where we need to seize the first employment opportunity that comes our way, we still have to remember that no one is forcing the proverbial "gun to our head" for any one particular opportunity. And even if we are somewhat at the mercy of employers' decisions, is it the best strategy to keep that in the forefront of your mind? 

I would argue that this attitude, especially if it is over-emphasized, brings about a "desperation" that will cause one to act unnaturally. If we feel that employers hold all the cards and we have none, we will take whatever job comes along. We will not bother to negotiate salary and accept whatever we are offered. We will work at places that we know, deep down, are just not for us.

When food needs to be put on the table and the family needs to be taken care of, then the above attitudes and actions may be acceptable and necessary. However, for the majority of job seekers, I would recommend having the attitude that we hold some of the cards: that we can accept or reject any job offer we wish, that we can negotiate salary that is fair for both parties, and that we can work within companies by choice rather than force. 

1. Every job seekers holds an equal amount of decision-maker power as do employers.

2. Whether we choose to wield that power or submerge it out of need is still our choice.