Negotiating a low job offer

westbridgfordguy

I applied for a manufacturing manager's role a few weeks ago against my better judgement as the job advert neither contained a salary or a salary range. I was subsequently invited for interview and at the end of the session the HR lady asked me my salary expectations, I replied that I didn't see any salary range in the advert to which she replied that she would have a look at the advert when she gets chance (a lie) but still didn't state a range. As a starting point I told her my approximate current salary to give her ball park the starting point for negotiations.

Second interview yesterday, was phoned today and offered the job by the same HR lady,went through the same painful conversation as she again asked me what I would want, I told her that as a starting point my current salary and upwards but refused to name a figure, she then told me that the salary offer was a grand less then my current salary raising to the same after 6 months probation.

I told her I was unable to accept this which at this point she did divulge the range they had identified which if I had known this would stopped me from applying for the role- I fed this back. I also stated that my current role was not a representative salary marker, the average of my 3 previous roles were all 20% higher then their job offer for similar roles, At this point the HR lady said she would touch base with the directors over the weekend and come back to me on Monday.

Have I handled this in the correct manner, I am used to salary's being communicated upfront so there is total transparency not to get to this teeth pulling stage where the salary range finally is divulged as a last resort. Any thoughts please?

ReadingTim

So, you're annoyed at them for only quoting a vague range, yet in response, you only quote a vague range yourself?!? Pots and kettles my friend, pots and kettles.

Why didn't you simply say that you won't accept a role which pays less than £xx thousand a year? Wanting "total transparency" about salary goes both ways, so if they won't make the first move, why don't you?

Gavin83

Generally speaking a company that doesn't disclose the salary will pay poorly. If their salary was that great they'd advertise it and use it as a selling point.

I don't really think you can do anything else. You tell them the salary you want (well a little higher), they come back with another offer and then you meet in the middle or part ways. If they're unwilling to offer you the salary you want then look elsewhere.

[Deleted User]

It's the times we're in, some employers know they have the upper hand so that's why the salary is going down, plus we're nearly at the time when there is another rise due.

I've looked and to achieve current salary I would need to commute further to get on par. Or accept less to be more ahem, local.

One silly situation recently was filled in application to be asked current salary and then desired, looked back at advert and sure enough eventually saw their quoted salary it was definitely buried, within hours the job had expired, another one added at part time and I was told I am in talent pool for 6 months. ... I was a grand above the quoted salary in the end!

I think you've handled it the best you can. Can other things make it bearable like for example a 35 hour week instead of 40, flexi time, extra holiday, free car parking or what other in job benefits you may pick up.

westbridgfordguy

I was going to state my minimum requirements as a last resort if they come back after the weekend without an acceptable compromise.

I do think we've already become entrenched as we both started quoting benchmarks for equivalent jobs, she quoting the alleged average equivalent salary in the geographic area and myself quoting the average of my previous 3 jobs, there is an immediate 6 grand difference which says we're not even in the same ball park.

z1a

Wouldn't work for anybody who'd say they'd "Touch base".

getmore4less

Sometime you have to sell the higher expectations.

Places have jobs that need doing and the is a range that the job is worth.

Places can made do with someone good enough in that range but along comes someone that can offer more and the company can make use of that extra skill/experience so have scope to pay more.

manufacturing manager

What can you sell to them that was not part of the original requirements.

previous experience that can give a 20% productivity boost, or cut costs or new product ideas .....

Ja7188

What reason do you have for thinking the HR lady is a liar?

From what I can tell, you've been on a high salary for your last three roles and unless you can point to a reason for this, as cited by getmore4less, why should they offer you more? If there's no particular reason, you may find that you need to take the view that you've been in a fortunate position with your last few jobs and that this run of fortune may have come to an end...

westbridgfordguy

Ja7188 wrote: »

What reason do you have for thinking the HR lady is a liar?

From what I can tell, you've been on a high salary for your last three roles and unless you can point to a reason for this, as cited by getmore4less, why should they offer you more? If there's no particular reason, you may find that you need to take the view that you've been in a fortunate position with your last few jobs and that this run of fortune may have come to an end...

I've done my own research using sites such as Glassdoor to check the average geographic salary for similar roles and then compare that figure to the average salary over my last 4 roles and then compare that figure to the range offered for the advertised job.

The average figure for similar roles I researched is 2k less than the average figure I earned over my last 4 roles. If I take the lower of the two figures then the AVERAGE is still 2k more then the TOP of the salary range the HR lady quoted to me yesterday.

Just to add some context, if we were talking about a role which was paying 50k plus then 2k here or there wouldn't make any difference to my judgement but the job offer is low to mid 30k so is significant and also still has been offered to me at less then my current salary.

TELLIT01

You've told them your expectations and the next move is up to them. If they come back with a salary which is acceptable to you you can take the job. If they don't you can say 'No thank you' and move on.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

It sounds just like they don't have the budget to pay what you want.

There's no point arguing about whether your expectations are reasonable. You are not going to move for less than them, whether they are reasonable or unreasonable. You are certainly not going to move for less than you are on. Tell them that, and that as far as you are concerned that's an end of the matter unless they meet your expectations which will be whatever you are on now plus X.

Next time discuss this up front maybe.