Offer accepted, unhappy about salary, got counter offer from another employer

thesaver79

Hi all,

I will try to keep it as short as possible. I won't use the real figures, but I will make them relative to each other.

I was job hunting and got several offers. Last week I got one for a position and a company (let's call it company A) I really liked. Despite having already 3 offers on the plate, I had to negotiate on the salary as they wanted to offer much less than anybody else did. I had already offers for 45k and I eventually managed to make them offer 43.3k.

Despite not being 100% happy that they didn't match the other offers, I accepted as I'd previously said that 43.3k would be the minimum I'd consider.

I'm still waiting for the contract to come through and today company B (whose offer I had turned out after accepting company A's) have come back to me, offered me 49.9k and promised full responsibility for the whole department in the medium term.

I wouldn't be sure if I wanted to work for company B anyway, but I am now very annoyed that I will start a job with a salary that is 13% less than I could potentially earn.

Clearly I could accept the new offer and annoy company A. I know it wouldn't be legally ok but it'd be unlikely that they'd to something about it. Do you have any advice on what I could do to try and get more money from company A? I was thinking of just making them aware of the situation, tell them that I wouldn't want to pull off but that I want them to be aware that I'd be accepting an offer for a salary which is far below my market value.

Looking forward to hearing some impartial thoughts!

InsideInsurance

Firstly, you only appear to be looking at the cash element, you really should expand your consideration to the total reward package. You say we are talking about dummy sums but the difference of £6,600 in cash could be more than made up for through bonuses, profit shares, PMI, PHI, pension contributions, car allowances etc

Secondly you need to decide your priorities and where you are in your career. It is very rare you will find the perfect job for the perfect company at the perfect rate with the perfect prospects and so compromises need to be made. Personally I did a good few years on well below market rate for the opportunities that I was able to get from the organisations. I have since sacrificed career progression and job security for a massive increase in income. In the future I will take a heavy pay cut and return to doing jobs that are more interesting, have job security and career (but of cause with a mortgageless house, large savings and pension pot fully topped up)

Are you going through an agency or direct? You dont want to annoy them to the extent that they pull the offer and agents can be better placed to help with these sorts of negotiations

Googlewhacker

it also depends on how close the industry is, you may accept the offer from the new company but if they are pally with the other company that could lead to trouble as well.

thesaver79

Hi InsideInsurance,

First of all thank you very much for your reply.

I have intentionally talked about cash only as the other tangible benefits are very similar for both offers.

There are two key factors that are stopping me from withdrawing my acceptance and accepting the counter offer instead:

- In company A I would do what I would exactly want to do, i.e. managing a larger team than what I have managed so far, in a much bigger company than my previous one. In company B I wouldn't have my team straight away but they said that it will happen in medium term.
- Instinct. I applied directly for company A and, for reasons that I find difficult to fully identify, I feel more drawn towards them.

The application for company B is through an agency. It would be much easier if it was the other way around, as I don't feel very comfortable about going back to company B and bring up the money issue again at this stage.

InsideInsurance

thesaver79 wrote: »

In company B I wouldn't have my team straight away but they said that it will happen in medium term.

If you are considering this offer seriously and this is important to you then you need this in black and white and a maximum value for "medium term"

Have seen far too often companies promising low salaries will be fixed at pay reviews or offering you to go into department A now but will be fast tracked to department B etc and 5 years later the person still being in department A and getting below inflation annual pay rises.

You need to consider future prospects but anything that isnt written in black and white in your contract you cannot consider a certainty

thesaver79

Thank you again. If I decided to seriously take offer B into consideration, I will make sure than any promises are in black and white.

What I am currently considering is to go back to company A and explain that I still want to work with them (great company, position, career prospects, etc.) but that, having had some time to think and having received the counter offer, I believe I will be paid below market. Despite being aware that salary was already negotiated before and clarifying that I don't expect them to match the other offer, I would ask them if there is anything they could do to make me happier (for example by promising a salary review after the 2-month probation?).

As a hiring manager myself I would appreciate the honesty, but I wouldn't want to be annoying and having them thinking low of me because of this "cash bargaining".

Slinky

If you are struggling to get Company A to pay you what you are worth when you join, it will be a struggle all the time you work there to get a decent pay rise as they see that they are already paying you more than they really perceive you to be worth.

Company B can see what you are worth and recognise the fact.

You say about rejecting Company A "I know it wouldn't be legally ok but it'd be unlikely that they'd to something about it." There is no legal obligation on you to accept this offer if you want to go elsewhere.

I did battle with an employer trying to get them to pay me what I perceived I was worth. They wouldn't so I left. And got a much better job elsewhere which led to me eventually starting my own business earning way in excess of what the original employer was paying me.

Accept the things you cannot change, change the things you cannot accept.

thesaver79

Slinky, thank you. I have already accepted the offer made by Company A, which is, in theory, legally binding.

I am speaking with Company B later as they want to try and convince me regarding the aspects of the job that, currently, would make me prefer company A over company B (ignoring the salary).

JimmyTheWig

I'd say you're at a "take it or leave it" point.
You eventually managed to make Company A offer 43.3k. Lets say you go back to them now and they offer £45k. What's to stop you (in their mind) going back a week later and asking for £47k. And if they agree that, you might go back again, etc. What's to stop you making further demands 2 months down the line once they've had the cost of training you, etc.
I think you've done your negotiating and they've agreed on more than they originally wanted. Now you need to decide.
If you go with Company A, will you be able to show what a good job you are doing and how you are worth more than £43.3k? If so, that should stand you in a good opsition at pay review time.

If you go with Company A now you should be able to go to Company B at some point in the future. If you go with Company B now then you've probably burnt your bridges with Company A.

getmore4less

thesaver79 wrote: »

Slinky, thank you. I have already accepted the offer made by Company A, which is, in theory, legally binding.

Only for the notice period.

Very few places get you to start if you are on notice.

hcb42

thesaver79 wrote: »

Hi all,

I will try to keep it as short as possible. I won't use the real figures, but I will make them relative to each other.

I was job hunting and got several offers. Last week I got one for a position and a company (let's call it company A) I really liked. Despite having already 3 offers on the plate, I had to negotiate on the salary as they wanted to offer much less than anybody else did. I had already offers for 45k and I eventually managed to make them offer 43.3k.

Despite not being 100% happy that they didn't match the other offers, I accepted as I'd previously said that 43.3k would be the minimum I'd consider.

I'm still waiting for the contract to come through and today company B (whose offer I had turned out after accepting company A's) have come back to me, offered me 49.9k and promised full responsibility for the whole department in the medium term.

I wouldn't be sure if I wanted to work for company B anyway, but I am now very annoyed that I will start a job with a salary that is 13% less than I could potentially earn.
!

It isnt all about the money, and your post alludes to this.

You dont even know if you want to work for B....many people can earn 13% more tomorrow if they wanted, achieving that is not generally difficult at this level - something is drawing you to A as they already gave you their max when you had £45K on the table.

B are obviously in a bind with structure, their offer may or may not materialise, you have to consider what gives you best long term satisfaction etc.