Salary and negotiation expert Paul Barada from Monster.com points out that power is one of the most overlooked but important dynamics in negotiation. He says that power relationships aren’t like blackjack, but there is one parallel: Power will determine who has the better hand. The employer often has the better hand because he or she has something the candidate wants – the job opening – and there are probably many candidates who want the job (employer probably has a good BATNA). But if the candidate has unique skills that the employer wants, or if there is a shortage of talent in a particular field, the candidate can have a lot more power (and a hence good hand). A job candidate can increase his or her power as follows:

1. Determine what skills one has, and which ones can be transferred to the job one has applied for.

2. Do homework on the demand for those skills in various jobs and industries.

3. Know what is a fair and reasonable salary for this job, given the market conditions and the geographic area in which the job is located.

4. Be prepared to make a convincing set of arguments for the value one will bring to your new employer.

5. Determine a fair compensation rate (target) and a threshold below which one will not go (walkaway point).

6. If the candidate determines that he or she does not have the appropriate skills, education or experience, he or she should consider how to gain those skills or experience to give him or her more power in job negotiations.