asking for examples of a "negotiation"

[Ceci03]

So, I have an interview next week, and in my last interview, I got thrown by the question "describe a situation where you negotiated and came out with the outcome you wanted". I just cant think of any examples... Could anyone help, or nudge my brain into action, TIA

My first thought goes to complaining to customer services - have you had to negotiate with a company to get an appropriate resolution to a problem that they caused?

What's your current job?id be more impressed by a work related one tbh.
Have you ever had to argue your point? Take every one down a course of action?

Well a negotiation really boils down to - you want A, they want B and you have to argue you case to bring an outcome which you are happy with. Can you think of a work situation when this has happened?

So in a work environment:
with service supplier to provide another service for you
on price
any sales experience?
within a team as to who does what tasks
managing a staff member to do a task
negotiated a pay rise or anything else with senior staff

In private life:
with school, have you had any issues?
PTA
organised a function, got someone to put together a package for you
building work
complaints for anything?

I dont really have that much 'power' at work. I'm a secretary. I'm racking my brain but cant come up with anything and I dont want to end up tongue tied again, it was so embarrassing at the last interview when my mind went totally blank!

A big part of negotiation is that everyone feels like they have got the outcome they needed. So it's about give and take. If you want something what are you prepared to concede?

Bit of an odd question to ask for a job that wouldn't usually need a lot of negotiation, maybe they knew the other staff were a bit hummm, anyway if its not normally part of your job maybe come up with an example that doesn't necessarily show you in conflict with someone more your persistence and willing to discuss, e.g. couple of weeks ago got my car insurance quote from company was with 5 years and it had gone up, so I rang around got two other quotes rang my company back sent them my other quotes, and asked them to review, we negotiated I got the price I wanted..

As a secretary have you ever had to ask for a meeting time to be moved as X person couldn't make the time? Have you had to service a meeting and get arrangements changed (catering etc.) at short notice? Do you deal with any contractors or deliveies for stationery etc?

Have you changed a work process where you are?

That is always a big advantage in my mind. I got where I am principally by impressing superiors with changing processes. Usually people are too busy doing their own jobs to worry about how that affects other people's. They're not incentivised to change for their own sakes, so persuading them to do it a new way requires negotiation (and might not result in you getting everythign you want).

Have you, say, persuaded the company to invest in some training, a new fire procedure, files processing, data protection procedure etc?

Boss wants A,B and C doing by the end of the day.

He turns up at lunch time also wanting D done.

You don't have enough time to do all 4.

You 'negotiate' by saying you'll do D straight away, and expect to get A and B done, but is it OK if C is left until tomorrow as really it isn't going to be acted on until next week anyway.