Der Abfindungs-Verhandler: Verwandeln Sie ein Kündigungsangebot in bessere Bedingungen
Warum dieser Prompt wichtig ist
Most laid-off employees sign the first severance offer without pushing back, leaving weeks of extra pay, longer health coverage, or cleaner reference terms on the table — because the paperwork is written to feel final when in reality most of it has room to move, especially for anyone with more than a year or two of tenure.
Wofür wir ihn verwenden
You're a mid-level employee who was just told in a short meeting that your role is being eliminated, and HR has handed you a severance agreement with a tight deadline to sign — and you have no idea which terms are fixed and which are actually negotiable.
Prompt
Role: Act as an experienced employment negotiation strategist who has helped hundreds of laid-off employees improve their severance terms without escalating to litigation. Context: I was informed on [DATE] that my position as [YOUR JOB TITLE] is being eliminated, after [YEARS AT COMPANY] years at [COMPANY NAME]. The stated reason is [REASON GIVEN, e.g. "restructuring", "role elimination"]. I have been offered: [SUMMARIZE SEVERANCE OFFER: WEEKS OF PAY, COBRA/HEALTH COVERAGE TERMS, ANY OTHER BENEFITS]. I am based in [STATE/COUNTRY]. [OPTIONAL: I believe there may be a legal issue because ___ / I have another job offer in progress / I am over 40 and this is part of a larger layoff round]. Task: Produce a severance negotiation strategy. Assess my realistic leverage level, give me a prioritized list of things to ask for split into "low-risk, standard asks" and "stretch asks worth trying," write a short negotiation script I can use verbatim or adapt, flag any red-flag clauses I should scrutinize in the paperwork, and tell me when this situation warrants consulting an employment lawyer before I sign anything. Constraints: Do not suggest threatening legal action unless I've described a specific fact pattern that could support a real claim (e.g. discrimination, retaliation, an age-related mass layoff). Be realistic about what a company will and won't move on — don't inflate my leverage. Do not assume I already have legal representation. Keep the script conversational, not confrontational. Output Format: 1. Situation Assessment (leverage level and why) 2. Prioritized Ask List (Tier 1: low-risk standard asks / Tier 2: stretch asks) 3. Negotiation Script (a short, usable opening + key points + response to pushback) 4. Red Flags to Check in the Paperwork 5. When to Consult an Employment Lawyer
Ergebnis
SITUATION ASSESSMENT: Leverage: Medium. Four years of tenure in a mid-level marketing role, no documented performance issues on file, and a facially neutral "restructuring" justification put you in a moderate leverage position. You don't have a discrimination claim or a competing job offer to apply pressure, but tenured, no-fault layoffs are exactly the situation where companies expect some pushback and typically build in room to negotiate.
PRIORITIZED ASKS
Tier 1 — Low-risk, standard asks:
- Extend severance from 4 to 6–8 weeks (roughly 1.5–2 weeks per year of tenure is a common informal benchmark)
- Extend the COBRA subsidy to a full 3 months instead of the standard offer
- Get written confirmation that any reference check will be limited to dates and title only, with no performance commentary
- Ask whether outplacement or career-transition services are available if not already offered
Tier 2 — Stretch asks worth trying:
- Request a lump-sum payout instead of salary continuation, so you're not penalized for finding a new job quickly
- Ask in writing whether any equity remains unvested and whether accelerated vesting is possible
- Push for the non-disparagement clause to be made mutual, so it also restricts the company
NEGOTIATION SCRIPT: "Thank you for this offer — I'd like to take the standard review period before signing. Before I do, I want to raise two specific requests: given my four years here, I'd like the severance extended to six weeks in line with typical tenure-based severance, and I'd like written confirmation that reference checks will be limited to dates and title. Could we revisit the offer with those two changes?"
RED FLAGS TO CHECK: An overly broad non-disparagement clause that could restrict discussing your own job search publicly, a waiver of "unknown claims" (standard, but worth having reviewed), and confirmation of your revocation window — in California, you're entitled to at least 7 days to revoke after signing, so don't sign under same-day pressure.
WHEN TO CONSULT A LAWYER: If the layoff followed a complaint you made about harassment, safety, or wages; if you're over 40 and this is part of a larger layoff round (which triggers additional federal disclosure requirements); or if the agreement includes a non-compete you didn't previously have.
Entlassen zu werden ist stressig genug, ohne dass man am selben Nachmittag auch noch zum Amateur-Arbeitsrechtler werden muss. Die Personalabteilung überreicht eine Abfindungsvereinbarung, gibt eine knappe Frist vor, und die Formulierungen sind präzise genug, dass Widerspruch riskant erscheint — obwohl die meisten Abfindungsbedingungen mehr Verhandlungsspielraum haben, als die Unterlagen vermuten lassen.
Dieser Prompt ist als fünfteiliges Verhandlungs-Briefing statt als einheitlicher Block generischer Ratschläge aufgebaut, weil ein entlassener Mitarbeiter unterschiedliche Dinge in einer bestimmten Reihenfolge braucht: zuerst eine ehrliche Einschätzung der tatsächlichen Verhandlungsmacht, dann eine konkrete, priorisierte Liste dessen, was zu fordern ist, dann Worte, die man tatsächlich aussprechen kann, dann eine Checkliste für das Kleingedruckte, und schließlich ein klarer Auslöser dafür, wann man aufhören sollte, allein zu verhandeln.
Warum die zweistufige Forderungsliste wichtig ist
Die Aufteilung der Forderungen in „risikoarm-standard" und „ambitioniert" leistet hier echte Arbeit. Ohne diese Trennung fordern Menschen entweder nichts oder alles auf einmal.
Warum die Einschränkung bei rechtlichen Schritten existiert
Der Prompt verbietet explizit, rechtliche Drohungen zu empfehlen, es sei denn, ein echtes Sachverhaltsmuster stützt sie. Generische Verhandlungsratschläge im Internet übertreiben die Verhandlungsmacht oft, indem sie andeuten, jede Entlassung habe einen verborgenen rechtlichen Aspekt.
Warum Warnsignale im Kleingedruckten einen eigenen Abschnitt bekommen
Abfindungsvereinbarungen bündeln verhandelbare Punkte mit juristischem Standardtext, den Menschen selten genau lesen.
Geben Sie die tatsächlichen Details Ihres Angebots in diesen Prompt ein, und Sie erhalten eine Strategie, die auf Ihre Betriebszugehörigkeit und spezifischen Umstände zugeschnitten ist — keinen generischen Ratschlag „fordern Sie immer mehr".