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Job via recruiter - When to negotiate salary?

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  • If let's say they offer the job for £25K and I go back to negotiate. Shall I say I will accept the job for £27K  or say I would accept it at the range of £27K-£28K.

    I mean give a set amount or a range?
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 18,613 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    If let's say they offer the job for £25K and I go back to negotiate. Shall I say I will accept the job for £27K  or say I would accept it at the range of £27K-£28K.

    I mean give a set amount or a range?
    Give a number, ranges are pointless as you aren't going to turn down £29 are you?
  • Elliott.T123
    Elliott.T123 Posts: 245 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    As a recruiter with 15 years experience if anyone working for me put candidates forward at a range or was discussing ranges with potential hires they would be getting retrained that day!

    A good recruiter will discuss exact figures with you, they will reconfirm those figures after every interview (things change, did the hiring manager tell you that you have to be in the office an extra day, suddenly you want an extra £2,000 for the travel etc). They will communicate clearly with the company that any offer needs to be X level.

    95% of the time I will refuse to put an offer to a candidate if the company tries to low ball and instead will do the negotiation before the candidate even knows. (I do this with companies I know are not going to pull an offer, I would never do it if it was a one and done type offer). I expect to be in a situation where when I receive an offer it is for a figure that has been discussed 3-4 times at least, everyone is on the same page and when I present it there is no need to think its a simple yes immediately.

    I would probably advise that if you are 100% sure you cant accept less than £27k tell the recruiter as soon as possible. If you ever have a similar situation in the future then I would have this conversation at the time. So if the recruiter says the range for this role is £25-30k. My response would be "that's great they can match my expectations, for me to move I would need to be at least 27k"


  • saajan_12
    saajan_12 Posts: 5,063 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker


    At interviews, both sides learn more about the role and the calibre of the candidate. Based on that, candidate's expectations or the amount the employer is willing to pay might go up because its more responsibility, more hours if things go wrong, candidate will solve more problems for you with other related experience.. Equally the number might go down if you have to compromise on the available candidates and will have to hand-hold the person. 

    Not a recruiter so take this with the appropriately sized pinch of salt, but I've seen ranges from employers and given ranges as what I was expecting (however reluctantly) in the earlier stages of the process. I've personally had the offer increase outside the range discussed earlier. Won't apply every time, but just to say if a range has been discussed and things progressed from there, then clearly its not automatically terrible for that employer at least, and I wouldn't worry about your expectation moving within the range (or outside only if there's a very good reason)
  • Charlotte_Ca
    Charlotte_Ca Posts: 81 Forumite
    Second Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    If let's say they offer the job for £25K and I go back to negotiate. Shall I say I will accept the job for £27K  or say I would accept it at the range of £27K-£28K.

    I mean give a set amount or a range?
    Give a number, ranges are pointless as you aren't going to turn down £29 are you?
    True! I wouldn't say no to a higher salary than expected.

    However I have to say that after having now the final interview I felt that I should increase the minimum to £28 because they sort of require you to keep an eye on the emails after work and on the weekends in case any of the orders outside of working hours need attention. Even though they assured me that not always there is something and you do have a work life balance.

    The recruiter had called me later to check how it went and I said good blah blah I feel this is a job I would enjoy doing and the company and people are nice. Which is true I felt very comfortable being there and during the interview. No stress at all.

    Then I cannot remember if he asked me if I would accept it if it was offered to me or if I told him during my excitement that I would accept it, but I said I would accept. And then I added that of course after getting the contract and based on what other benefits they offer etc. Then he asked me what salary are you looking for. I said £27-£28K because even though £27 is my minimum, it was only a couple of hours ago before his call that I was thinking I should go for £28K.

    But then I was thinking, first of all was I right to say that I would accept without them offering the job first and then I was like should I have just said £28K instead of giving a range?

    I feel that when you don't deal with such negotiations often you don't know how to respond properly. Because on the one hand I'm thinking I don't want to seem very pricey as this is not a job I've done before and on the other hand I'm thinking, but even if I go higher still it's within their range and they have the money. It's not like they will become poor. 

    I don't know... too many thoughts....
  • Charlotte_Ca
    Charlotte_Ca Posts: 81 Forumite
    Second Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    As a recruiter with 15 years experience if anyone working for me put candidates forward at a range or was discussing ranges with potential hires they would be getting retrained that day!

    A good recruiter will discuss exact figures with you, they will reconfirm those figures after every interview (things change, did the hiring manager tell you that you have to be in the office an extra day, suddenly you want an extra £2,000 for the travel etc). They will communicate clearly with the company that any offer needs to be X level.

    95% of the time I will refuse to put an offer to a candidate if the company tries to low ball and instead will do the negotiation before the candidate even knows. (I do this with companies I know are not going to pull an offer, I would never do it if it was a one and done type offer). I expect to be in a situation where when I receive an offer it is for a figure that has been discussed 3-4 times at least, everyone is on the same page and when I present it there is no need to think its a simple yes immediately.

    I would probably advise that if you are 100% sure you cant accept less than £27k tell the recruiter as soon as possible. If you ever have a similar situation in the future then I would have this conversation at the time. So if the recruiter says the range for this role is £25-30k. My response would be "that's great they can match my expectations, for me to move I would need to be at least 27k"



    I think when the recruiters give me a range is like telling me somebody with no experience would get the bottom and somebody with experience would get the upper limit. Then I read the JD and say ok I meet most/all of them so I would go for the upper limit and if I meet half of them then I would just go for the middle. I think if I didn't meet any of them, then I wouldn't really apply.

  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 18,613 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Charlotte_Ca said:
    But then I was thinking, first of all was I right to say that I would accept without them offering the job first and then I was like should I have just said £28K instead of giving a range?

    I feel that when you don't deal with such negotiations often you don't know how to respond properly. Because on the one hand I'm thinking I don't want to seem very pricey as this is not a job I've done before and on the other hand I'm thinking, but even if I go higher still it's within their range and they have the money. It's not like they will become poor. 

    I don't know... too many thoughts....
    No harm in saying your keen and your hoping/intending to accept, ultimately you cannot actually accept until you hear the offer. 

    As said by Elliott and I you really should just give a figure rather than a range because in reality, as you said, you would accept if they offered more than you want so its only really the bottom number thats of interest and even then you can say you want £28k and they come back with £27,750 and its up to you then to decide if you want to accept or not. You dont do this often though, unlike me, and so really the recruiter should be playing back to you what they are going to do which is to really pitch it at a number not a range. 

    As long as you are within their range it broadly should be fine, it'd be a different matter if they were offering £25-£30k and you were put forward at £35k but then it should be done from the get go and most employers won't waste their time interviewing someone who is too expensive for them unless they are realistically willing to consider that sort of price. 

  • If let's say they offer the job for £25K and I go back to negotiate. Shall I say I will accept the job for £27K  or say I would accept it at the range of £27K-£28K.

    I mean give a set amount or a range?
    Give a number, ranges are pointless as you aren't going to turn down £29 are you?
    True! I wouldn't say no to a higher salary than expected.

    However I have to say that after having now the final interview I felt that I should increase the minimum to £28 because they sort of require you to keep an eye on the emails after work and on the weekends in case any of the orders outside of working hours need attention. Even though they assured me that not always there is something and you do have a work life balance.

    The recruiter had called me later to check how it went and I said good blah blah I feel this is a job I would enjoy doing and the company and people are nice. Which is true I felt very comfortable being there and during the interview. No stress at all.

    Then I cannot remember if he asked me if I would accept it if it was offered to me or if I told him during my excitement that I would accept it, but I said I would accept. And then I added that of course after getting the contract and based on what other benefits they offer etc. Then he asked me what salary are you looking for. I said £27-£28K because even though £27 is my minimum, it was only a couple of hours ago before his call that I was thinking I should go for £28K.

    But then I was thinking, first of all was I right to say that I would accept without them offering the job first and then I was like should I have just said £28K instead of giving a range?

    I feel that when you don't deal with such negotiations often you don't know how to respond properly. Because on the one hand I'm thinking I don't want to seem very pricey as this is not a job I've done before and on the other hand I'm thinking, but even if I go higher still it's within their range and they have the money. It's not like they will become poor. 

    I don't know... too many thoughts....
    I'd walk away from the job.

    No way for £28k I'd be checking emails outside of contracted work hours.

    Value yourself more, 28k is below national average wage but they expect you to do more than average tasks by being effectively available evenings and weekends. 


  • Charlotte_Ca
    Charlotte_Ca Posts: 81 Forumite
    Second Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    If let's say they offer the job for £25K and I go back to negotiate. Shall I say I will accept the job for £27K  or say I would accept it at the range of £27K-£28K.

    I mean give a set amount or a range?
    Give a number, ranges are pointless as you aren't going to turn down £29 are you?
    True! I wouldn't say no to a higher salary than expected.

    However I have to say that after having now the final interview I felt that I should increase the minimum to £28 because they sort of require you to keep an eye on the emails after work and on the weekends in case any of the orders outside of working hours need attention. Even though they assured me that not always there is something and you do have a work life balance.

    The recruiter had called me later to check how it went and I said good blah blah I feel this is a job I would enjoy doing and the company and people are nice. Which is true I felt very comfortable being there and during the interview. No stress at all.

    Then I cannot remember if he asked me if I would accept it if it was offered to me or if I told him during my excitement that I would accept it, but I said I would accept. And then I added that of course after getting the contract and based on what other benefits they offer etc. Then he asked me what salary are you looking for. I said £27-£28K because even though £27 is my minimum, it was only a couple of hours ago before his call that I was thinking I should go for £28K.

    But then I was thinking, first of all was I right to say that I would accept without them offering the job first and then I was like should I have just said £28K instead of giving a range?

    I feel that when you don't deal with such negotiations often you don't know how to respond properly. Because on the one hand I'm thinking I don't want to seem very pricey as this is not a job I've done before and on the other hand I'm thinking, but even if I go higher still it's within their range and they have the money. It's not like they will become poor. 

    I don't know... too many thoughts....
    I'd walk away from the job.

    No way for £28k I'd be checking emails outside of contracted work hours.

    Value yourself more, 28k is below national average wage but they expect you to do more than average tasks by being effectively available evenings and weekends. 



    How much would you accept for a job that has this requirement? 
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 18,613 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 28 May 2024 at 9:59PM
    If let's say they offer the job for £25K and I go back to negotiate. Shall I say I will accept the job for £27K  or say I would accept it at the range of £27K-£28K.

    I mean give a set amount or a range?
    Give a number, ranges are pointless as you aren't going to turn down £29 are you?
    True! I wouldn't say no to a higher salary than expected.

    However I have to say that after having now the final interview I felt that I should increase the minimum to £28 because they sort of require you to keep an eye on the emails after work and on the weekends in case any of the orders outside of working hours need attention. Even though they assured me that not always there is something and you do have a work life balance.

    The recruiter had called me later to check how it went and I said good blah blah I feel this is a job I would enjoy doing and the company and people are nice. Which is true I felt very comfortable being there and during the interview. No stress at all.

    Then I cannot remember if he asked me if I would accept it if it was offered to me or if I told him during my excitement that I would accept it, but I said I would accept. And then I added that of course after getting the contract and based on what other benefits they offer etc. Then he asked me what salary are you looking for. I said £27-£28K because even though £27 is my minimum, it was only a couple of hours ago before his call that I was thinking I should go for £28K.

    But then I was thinking, first of all was I right to say that I would accept without them offering the job first and then I was like should I have just said £28K instead of giving a range?

    I feel that when you don't deal with such negotiations often you don't know how to respond properly. Because on the one hand I'm thinking I don't want to seem very pricey as this is not a job I've done before and on the other hand I'm thinking, but even if I go higher still it's within their range and they have the money. It's not like they will become poor. 

    I don't know... too many thoughts....
    I'd walk away from the job.

    No way for £28k I'd be checking emails outside of contracted work hours.

    Value yourself more, 28k is below national average wage but they expect you to do more than average tasks by being effectively available evenings and weekends. 



    How much would you accept for a job that has this requirement? 
    Depends on the rest of the details of the job, where you are in your career, how often you really have to deal with out of hours matters. 

    Sometimes we accept bad pay for experience which we know will get us more in the future. I was grossly underpaid, for reasons, when I started my career, one of the persons that worked for me was paid 50% more than me yet was complaining about their salary. I got exceptional experience from that work though and enabled me to massively increase my salary afterwards. Now I'm a day rate contractor so hard to directly compare to an employee salary but can demand the top tier monies for what I do and often end up in bidding wars for my time.

    That said, still have someone working for me on 50% more but they are a qualified actuary so more a function of leading diverse teams from basic data inputters to senior lawyers and actuaries than being underpaid


    Some will want to be paid a reasonable rate today as there are no guarantees for tomorrow whereas others will be more willing to take the punt and hope it leads to better things.
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