Real-life MMD: Should I try to boost my salary at a charity?

fatal1955

I reckon it depends on how you got to this point: did you apply or were you "head-hunted"? If you applied, why did you apply for something you couldn't afford to take? On the other hand. if you were head-hunted then I reckon it's reasonable to haggle, especially if there is some room for compromise on both sides.

debbiesmum

debbiesmum wrote: »

My daughter is in exactly the same situation, albeit in Australia. Offered fixed week Sun to Thurs, therefore she can never have a Sat and Sun off when her partner is off, longer working hours, longer commute and $150 a week less than she is currently earning (which is not a huge salary). Regrettably she will turn the job down - at the end of the day sometimes working for a charity is not enough to put bread on the table and have a little left over for savings.
This person should negotiate with the charity - after all the charity is in effect a business and you wouldn't hesitate to negotiate with a non-charitable business.

As this question was so similar to my daughter's situation, I sent her an email about this, telling her I had responded - only for her to reply that SHE was the one who posted the dilemna from Australia!!!:rotfl:

tallgirld

No it's not unreasonable to haggle.


Ask them for more money. If they can not afford to pay you anymore then decline the job.

Mouseboy007

I'm presuming that the charity would be able to find someone prepared to take the role on for the salary stated. Therefore to pay you the extra $5000 p/a they will have to raise an additional $5000 of donations/funding. Would your role and experience enable you to provide the charity with $5000+ of value that someone accepting the role on the lower salary couldn't? I'd suggest your dilemma isn't the haggling, but instead is considering whether your presence represents $5000+ p/a of added value to the charity. If not then I'd say the more charitable thing to do would be to let someone else take on the role. As someone else mentioned, you can always volunteer or donate some money to the charity as you see fit.

HTH

Algolthedemonstar

The world works on money. You are looking to give this charity your time and expertise, the least they should do is recompense you fairly. Negotiate with them, and if you can't come to an agreement, find some other way to help them. If you undervalue yourself you will only be trodden on, and then you'll be no use to anyone.

JeremyCH

The simple fact is that you need a certain income to live so whatever your income it must cover this, holidays, unexpected expenses so, unless you're on a 6 figure sum, the simple answer is no. Ask yourself if you would take the job if it wasn't a charity? If they want you then they must pay for you, especially as the job sounds somewaht more deamnding than your current one

Amongst other things I provide fisrt aid cover at events and I regularly get approcahed by charities or chritable causes wanting my services for free or a a haevily discounted rate yet I still have to pay my staff, premises, insurances and make a living so, whilst I do give a discount, it rarely seems to meet the charity's expectations, but if I don't make a profit then I can't pay my bills and the same must, surely, apply to you

meknowalot-51

Based on the info. that you have supplied i fail to see how you are unable to understand if you can take the financial hit.You've told us the job is 5k less plus extra finances for the commute,let's hope the job offer isn't in the accounts department.You need to explain to them the potential damage that this will cause to your family/personal life financially and the unsociable hours.If they fail to understand then i think that perhaps they may be taking advantage of your kind nature.Let them know that your prepared to help in other ways and suggest they offer the job to someone who is unemployed,which in itself is a very charitable thing to do.Up untill 1982 i always use to think that charity work was done by volunteers,no wage.I suggest you "STAY" where you are.

Elainemary

Let's see... you like your job...you would lose £5000 a year... it would take longer & cost more to get to work...you'd like to work for the charity but can't afford the wages hit. Sorry, but staying put seems to be the obvious answer. You could then (1) make donations to them and (2) help out as a volunteer if you wanted to. Good luck whatever you decide.

Fujiko

How do you define a charity? Nowadays many of the national ones, however worthy their cause, are run like ordinary commercial companies. I feel they are still heavily reliant on the goodwill of volunteers to work in their shops which enables them to pay generous salaries to the top people - understandable if they need to attract suitable candidates to run these very large organisations. I worked briefly in the local office of a well-known charity and my experience was that I had never seen such empire building as there was among the top executives, much worse than anything I had come across in the world of commerce.
If you are so dedicated to this particular charity, I agree with Elainemary, donate as generously as you can afford and volunteer if that is possible but never, never put your own career and income in jeopardy.

wbr

There are very many wise words in the responses you have already received, but also some opposing views.
I am a very simple man (with 6 kids, and 5 grandchildren) and I have worked for low pay and also obscenely high pay in my life of (next month) 60 years.
Here are my thoughts for you;
First, your financial responsibility is critically to yourself (and your family), and therefore to pay your bills and put food on the table,
Secondly, your moral responsibility is to yourself ONLY (= you cannot impose this on your family).
So, talk to the Charity and see if they can get closer to the salary needs you have for yourself (and your family).....if they can and it still works for you then go for it BUT BUT BUT if it does not then walk away.
I guess I can some this up with a simple statement which is "please don't let your heart push you to helping out a charity if the end result is that you (and family) end up as a charity case yourself".
Stay safe and all luck going forward.
B.