How to Negotiate Multiple Job Offers and Get Employers to Compete For You

When I first told my client - let's call her Lisa - she could secure multiple job offers and have potential employers compete for the privilege of working with her, she found it hard to believe.

She has a biomedical engineering degree, and a strong track record, and has been delivering results consistently for years.

Yet, she’d never negotiated her salary before. When she initially hired me, it was simply to ask for a raise—and she got it.

But even with the pay bump, something felt off. The scope of her work was still limited. She wanted more—more impact, more challenge, more growth. That’s when she reached back out to improve her interview skills and land a better role.

The First Offer — and the Catch

A few months into our work together, she received her first written job offer. Exciting, right? Except there was one issue—the salary and bonus were lower than her current compensation.

On the surface, it wasn’t the obvious win she was hoping for. However, the written offer from Company A delivered advantages:

✅ A clear, tangible signal in the job market that Lisa is a hirable and desirable candidate

✅ A valid way to expedite offers from other potential employers

✅ And, therefore, leverage to negotiate for a more competitive package elsewhere.

It was a step forward -- but not the final destination. And that's when things started to get really interesting.

Momentum Attracts Opportunity

One day, Lisa got a call from a former colleague—someone she had enjoyed working with in the past. They invited her to interview with their new firm.

She let them know she already had a pending offer, so if they were interested, the process would need to move quickly.

They said, “No problem.”

Let’s call this new opportunity Company B.

Company B offered:

💰 A competitive salary higher than both Company A and her current company

📈 A bigger scope of work

🔝 A stronger career growth potential.

The Real Challenge: Socialized Guilt

When we’re not used to abundant choices, it can feel weird.

Lisa hesitated.

She worried about managing expectations. She worried she would seem “disingenuous," maybe even rude, to keep Company A waiting while she explored her options with Company B.

I asked her, “How old were you when you first learned you're supposed to be candid with everyone to be considered a good person?”

She thought about it for a moment. “I was four years old, in my first year of Catholic school.”

As with so many hard-working, conscientious professionals I've had the privilege of working with, the real challenge wasn’t the logistics of securing multiple offers.

It was socialized guilt.

Guilt is a learned emotion. It got ingrained in us by authority figures who wanted us to be—let’s be blunt—easily controllable.

But my client is no longer a child who needs supervision. Lisa doesn’t need to be scared into never telling a lie.

Like you, she's a trustworthy business professional who has generated undeniable business value.

And salary negotiation? It’s just another business conversation.

What hangs in the balance isn’t a moral judgment—it’s the price of her future contributions.

Reframing the Situation: Seller Makes the Calls

Company A and Company B are not authority figures she owes a detailed reckoning of her decision-making process.

They are buyers in a market that she has created.

She is the seller.

And as in many markets, buyers don’t always get access to each other’s bids.

The Strategy: Creating a Competitive Market

We mapped out a word-for-word strategy:

✅ If Company A pushes for a decision, she’ll say: "This is an important decision that will have a ripple effect on my life and career. I need some time to compare all myoptions. Can I get back to you by [certain time]?"

✅ If needed, she can be transparent to a degree: "I have another pending offer. If you can improve your cash compensation, that would help me make a decision sooner rather than later."

✅ She’ll nudge Company B towards a timely decision that will help all parties move forward efficiently, like this:

"I really enjoyed our conversations and I'm excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team. I wanted to follow up because I currently have another offer in hand, and I'll need to make a decision soon. If Company B is interested in moving forward, I'd love to understand where things stand and if we can align on next steps. Do you have a timeline in mind for making a decision?"

This isn’t deception. It’s negotiation.

At the end of our session, Lisa felt good and ready to take charge of the situation.

Key Takeaways

✔️ It’s absolutely possible to create a "bidding war" for your skills while keeping the tone professional, light, and respectful.

✔️ You are not at the mercy of employers—they are buyers, and you are the seller.

✔️ Negotiation isn’t about being difficult—it’s about making informed, strategic decisions that serve your long-term career growth.

If you want to negotiate with confidence, reduce stress, and develop a smart strategy for advancing your career, I can help.

Together, we’ll break through the conditioning that holds you back, so you can show up as your authentic and gutsy self.

Book your free hour-long consultation with me today. You’ll walk away with a clear, actionable plan that showcases your leadership potential and help you secure the income and impact you truly want to make.