Got the job, low salary offered

dcouponzzzz

Hi All,

So currently I'm an IT Service Desk Supervisor and I excel in my job, 4 years of exceeding expectations in performance reviews and regular recognition from upper management.

I applied internally for another position. I say internally however the company I'd move to is owned and an affiliate of the company I currently work for, everything is linked.

At the end of the interview I was asked my salary expectations. I suggested 30-32k, and I received a nod of approval. I was then invited to a meeting with the recruiter and director who offered me the job

Right.... now the problem... HR seem to have taken control of the offer, and I expected a fair negotiation process. What actually happened was the HR rep offered me the same salary I'm currently on, whereas the job offer was made based on the 30-32k (15-20% not including 6-8% bonus I currently receive) increase in the interview.

I find it insulting that they'd offer no pay rise at all considering this is a grade above my current job, and the HR rep has since said 'There's no point in offering you the job if we can't agree on the salary'. I never once said we can't compromise and asked for as close to 32k as he's able to accommodate.

I guess what I'm wondering is, am I asking too much? Did I misread the situation? Any advice on how to approach the upcoming 2nd negotiation conversation?

I've scheduled a meeting to chat with the future manager to ensure HR are acting based on his interests, and if they still want to lowball the offer to push for a performance based salary review in 6 months time.

Thanks in advance

sangie595

dcouponzzzz wrote: »

At the end of the interview I was asked my salary expectations. I suggested 30-32k, and I received a nod of approval. I was then invited to a meeting with the recruiter and director who offered me the job

How did you tell the difference between a "nod of approval" and a "nod of acknowledgement"? Because the former might suggest agreement, but the latter only says that what you said was heard.

Do not settle for anything that is about a pay review in the future. That never ends happily. In fact, it usually ends with "we reviewed you pay and you will be staying on this amount". If you are only willing to take the job based on a specific salary expectation NOW, then that is your negotiating base. If that can't be met, then you turn down the job.

Guest101

I doubt someone else would take the job at the lower wage and still do a competent job of it. Stick to your guns, start looking elsewhere though as promotion chances aren't great now

dcouponzzzz

Thanks for the reply Sangie, I correlated being offered the job with the nod being that of approval. I wouldn't expect someone to make an offer knowing they would be reducing it by 20%!

The issue here is that I'm stagnating in my current role. Despite overachieving I'm bored, and the new role is a massive foot in the door to IT project management, service ownership etc, with training guaranteed all the way up to ITIL expert, six sigma and prince 2. If nothing else the experience I would receive would be more invaluable than the salary.

Saying that, if I know I've been shafted then I'm sure I'll resent them for it, which might affect my performance (I'd like to think I'm above automatic behaviour however).

sangie595

dcouponzzzz wrote: »

Thanks for the reply Sangie, I correlated being offered the job with the nod being that of approval. I wouldn't expect someone to make an offer knowing they would be reducing it by 20%!

The issue here is that I'm stagnating in my current role. Despite overachieving I'm bored, and the new role is a massive foot in the door to IT project management, service ownership etc, with training guaranteed all the way up to ITIL expert, six sigma and prince 2. If nothing else the experience I would receive would be more invaluable than the salary.

Saying that, if I know I've been shafted then I'm sure I'll resent them for it, which might affect my performance (I'd like to think I'm above automatic behaviour however).

The offered salary may reflect your lack of experience. If the training is worth the lower salary, then you can't afford to be too much of a hold out on the salary. TBH, I'd doubt that HR are responsible for this. HR seldom act on their own. It may be that the managers are testing you on your resolve, or it may be that the employer is looking to save as much as possible. It's easy to blame HR, because eeryone does! It is the employer and their authorised managers who make decisions.

Frankly, unless someone said "yes, that's a salary that I could foresee" then they didn't say a thing. For all you know, the interviewer was rehearsing in his head what to say to the wife about that credit card bill! A nod is meaningless, and it doesn't mean that they agreed. If they'd agreed, they'd have told HR what they agreed.

TELLIT01

Although the new job is a higher grade than your current one it doesn't mean that the grade ranges don't overlap. If they do, it's not uncommon for there not to be any pay rise accompanying the move. Annoying I know, but true.
The reality is that there will be scope in the new pay band to progress. It's up to you whether you want to take the job on that basis.
I definitely agree with Sangie about not taking a job on the basis of future review. All that is being promised is that they will look at you salary again in x months time. That is absolutely not a promise to increase it in x months time.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Update cv and log it on the jobsite.

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/

And then tell Humane Remains what to do with their lolly!

FBaby

You're not getting the negotiation game that is in place!

I never once said we can't compromise and asked for as close to 32k as he's able to accommodate.

That's not playing the game properly hence why it is going nowhere. Their goal is to offer you the job at a bit higher than what you are paid, but as close to it as they can get away with. When they asked you what you expected, they were testing the range of negotiation. They then started at the other extreme end, your current salary.

It's not about asking them as high they are willing to go, it's you making it clear how low you are not prepared to go. You are now expected to give a figure back.

You now need to be realistic though, so depending on your current salary, go about 3/4. They'll come back at 1/4, and you'll settle half way, or something like that. You're going to have to show more assertiveness in your negotiation though, which to be fair is what you would expect any good manager to be able to do.

Guest101

FBaby wrote: »

You're not getting the negotiation game that is in place!


That's not playing the game properly hence why it is going nowhere. Their goal is to offer you the job at a bit higher than what you are paid, but as close to it as they can get away with. When they asked you what you expected, they were testing the range of negotiation. They then started at the other extreme end, your current salary.

It's not about asking them as high they are willing to go, it's you making it clear how low you are not prepared to go. You are now expected to give a figure back.

You now need to be realistic though, so depending on your current salary, go about 3/4. They'll come back at 1/4, and you'll settle half way, or something like that. You're going to have to show more assertiveness in your negotiation though, which to be fair is what you would expect any good manager to be able to do.

I thought the exact same thing, but often come across as too 'direct' (that's my word, I think others may choose differently)

paddyrg

HR people sometimes feel they have to justify their own salaries by being dicks about other people's. If they could do the IT work that pays well, they would, but they can't, and know it.

IT people generally don't believe in messing around - it's inefficient, and thus pointless. HR people feel like heroes for 'controlling wage costs', so make up buzzwords to justify their interference 'pay on the 60th percentile blah other benefits blah'.

I'd speak to the hiring manager and let them know that you would love the job, but taking a pay cut to do it makes no sense, and that you're going have to start looking elsewhere. They will either make a show of justifying the offer, or go back to HR fuming that they've lowballed you when he needs you to start working ASAP and are now going to have to advertise externally etc etc. HR routinely ignore salary recommendations from hitting managers, so if you force it into the light you can at least find out who lowballed you. You get one chance to set your starting salary, this is it, they've said they want you, so it's time to push back with everything, or advance with another company.

Guest101

Yes because HR are just there to lowball offers...