Tell me about a time when you had to negotiate with someone to reach an agreement. What was the situation and how did you handle it?

Situation

In my last semester, our organization planned a community feeding program but the original venue provider backed out a week before the event. We needed a new location fast and had a very limited budget.

Task

I was assigned to approach the owner of a nearby covered court and negotiate a rental fee that our organization could afford, while also convincing him of the event's social impact.

Action

I visited the owner with a proposal letter and a sample menu. I acknowledged his standard rate but explained our nonprofit nature, offered to do a post-event cleanup and share photos of the program on our social media page as a form of goodwill promotion. When he hesitated, I asked clarifying questions: what were his main concerns? He mentioned liability for any damages. I immediately volunteered to draft a simple agreement where our organization would take full responsibility for minor repairs if needed.

Result

The owner agreed to a 60% discount and we successfully held the feeding program for 150 children. He even attended and later gave us a reference for future events.