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Cross posting from the interview thread: I'm applying for an engineering job through a company's career website and I have to generate an online profile with them. There's a box for minimum salary requested... They don't list the salary range in the job description on the company website but I did find the job posting on Monster (the company name was kept anonymous but the text was almost identical so it wasn't hard to sleuth that one out) and they listed a range of $X-$Y. I'm thinking about putting down the average of the $X and $Y numbers I saw on Monster. Also considering the upper range, idk. I hate having to give the first number since it hurts future negotiations especially since there's so much more than just salary that goes into compensation. What would you goons do?
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Feb 12, 2015 20:19
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| # ¿ May 17, 2024 00:58 |
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I just didn't want to put down a number so high that they toss my application. My experiences are a good match for their description but I'm a few years short of their desired level (7 vs 10 desired). I think I'm going to put the upper limit though since its not clear whether they meant to include a bonus or not, hopefully I'll get a shot at an interview and negotiate from there. Thanks for the feedback all
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Feb 13, 2015 00:38
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You have company A by the balls big time and since you're perfectly willing to walk you can negotiate hard on the salary bump. No one can say how miserable your life is at company A but this is about the best situation for you to be in. It sounds like the decision rests on if you have a good feeling about working for the new supervisor at company A. If you'd honestly still be miserable, then I'd say the money isn't worth it. But keep in mind there are probably going to be stupid things to deal with at company B as well. So I'd lean toward gunning for $80k+ plus bonus at company A to cash in on the hard work you did making yourself bullet proof.
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Apr 24, 2015 15:10
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Guni posted:What is an appropriate way to phrase "I want more money because there's going to be more responsibilities" and who would I actually raise this with, the Operations Manager or my current boss (who is actually more senior than the Operations Manager)? He said he'd get with HR to discuss the possibility. Our follow-up meeting is this afternoon so fingers crossed. One thing though, is that I'm perfectly content to pass on the job if there isn't a significant salary bump included. You would want to talk to the manager who brought it up with you, your current manager might not know you're considering a move and this is where it gets a little dicey with inter-office moves. I basically have to have a mutual understanding with the hiring manager that I would get the job once I officially apply. I won't bring it up with my current manager until I do officially apply. Each company is probably different in this regard but you need to play the politics game a little bit. The hiring manager would probably be able to advise you when to tell your current manager if he/she doesn't already know.
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May 13, 2015 14:03
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You could try the old, "Thank you for the offer, however I would really feel more comfortable with the offer at $X+5k. Is there any room to negotiate on the starting salary?" They clearly just picked a number out of thin air (which you conveniently supplied). I'd be willing to bet they could go higher.
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Aug 4, 2015 22:32
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It's not uncommon in engineering to do multiple internships over the summers while in college. One after freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Sometimes you might intern with different companies or some companies might prefer you to do co-ops where you work over the summer then take a semester off to continue working for them all before going back to school and finishing your degree. Or you could do three summer internships with the same company. To the OP, I doubt you have a lot of negotiating room being that you're entry level. From what I've seen, being a good intern will help you get a job offer but, at least at my large engineering company, the entry level salaries are fixed by HR for the year. Upper 80s would likely be a stretch but it couldn't hurt to ask. If they refuse to budge, at least work on the signing bonus, for us that was definitely an area that some people negotiated for.
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Aug 8, 2015 21:17
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Wow, I'm honestly surprised entry levels are going so high. That's awesome! Sorry I gave some apparently bum advice about upper 80s being a stretch. I'm a chem-e with 8 years experience in a high cost of living area and barely make that (who's the sucker now). Goes to show how valuable it is to be a known commodity in that you interned there several times. Congrats
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Aug 26, 2015 23:57
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Personally, I'd abort. Just say you knew him/her and and they seemed like a nice person but you couldn't really evaluate their job performance because you never worked on the same projects or something. Not saying that's the right answer, just what I'd do.
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Aug 27, 2015 13:49
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Really? I've always thought talking down about people behind their back was childish. I guess it is avoidant though.
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Aug 27, 2015 15:01
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I've been following this thread since the beginning, trying to soak up the excellent advice dispensed by Dwight, Kalenn Istarion and others, patiently waiting for my turn to hit the negotiation table and the time has finally come. I've been with the same company since graduating college 7 years ago. Over the years my base salary has increased by 43% but it is still far below what I could be making elsewhere. The benefits have been eroding (the only health plan option switched to a high deductible health plan but somehow the premiums stayed the same, for example). Back in June it was announced that there wouldn't be any merit pay increases this year (in addition to some layoffs) so based on encouragement from this thread, I started looking around for other opportunities. After a long search I finally got an offer from a prospective employer for a 25% higher base salary plus a targeted 15% annual bonus and a bunch of other improved benefits (better pension calculation, HSA contribution from the company, gym membership reimbursement, lower health care premiums by a lot, a small profit sharing component). All in all it works out to a 65% higher total compensation package than what I make now. Am I greedy for wanting to ask for an additional 10-20% base salary in hopes of getting them to meet somewhere in the middle? They have invested quite a bit of time in interviewing me and the position seems to be a tough one to fill since they have had a number of people cycle through it in the last 2 years apparently. The fact that no one seems to want the position makes me question whether I really want to take it or not, but every man has his price. Also, I've never had an annual bonus before, I'm not sure how to figure it into the decision. It says clearly in the offer letter that the bonus level is subject to change based on personal and company performance so I kind of want to discount its value but on the other hand, it seems to be pretty standard in the industry from what I understand by asking around.
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Sep 18, 2015 12:03
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Dik Hz posted:Any number of things can kill a bonus. Don't get paid in vague promises, get paid in salary. A bonus is exactly that: a bonus.
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Sep 20, 2015 17:19
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When replying to an offer with a counter, should I include justification why I'm asking for more? I'm having a hard time figuring out how to word my email response. I feel like the current offer is pretty reasonable for the industry (maybe even generous when all of the benefits are included) so I don't really have much to justify asking for more on that front. I do, however, think I have some good leverage due to the following: 1) it's taken almost 3 months of talks/interviews to get to the point of them giving me an official offer 2) they are desperate to fill this position since it's been vacant for almost 6 months with the previous person reluctantly carrying on the bare minimum while she's focusing on her new role 3) I have a personal recommendation from a current employee who would be working at a similar level position 4) They know that this position wasn't my first choice out of the positions I applied for with them. I made a bigger deal about this than it really is, but they know I've been skeptical from the very beginning 5) I have a compelling offer from my current company to take a new role which would still pay less than the new company's initial offer but it's significantly more than I make now 6) The job is on the other side of the country so being away from family feels like a reason to ask for more (a generous relocation package is included in the offer already so moving costs aren't a concern) Right now I'm leaning toward going with something along the lines of, "Thank you for the offer. [several sentences about my enthusiasm for the company and how my experience would be a beneficial addition to the organization]. After considering our discussions regarding the position and what my responsibilities would be in the new role, my family and I would feel more comfortable with a base salary of $X+25%. This would give us the piece of mind to move so far away from our families to take a position which might not have been my first choice. I am excited about the career possibilities working for [COMPANY] has to offer. I hope that this modest increase in pay will be agreeable and look forward to getting started as soon as possible." Reading it over, I think I'll probably ditch the italicized sentence. They know what my hesitations are already, it comes off a little whiny. Hate to start off on that foot. Thoughts?
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Sep 22, 2015 13:32
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Thanks for the advice everyone. Still waiting on the details of their relocation package before countering. I'll report back with the outcome to (hopefully) add to the running tally sheet of successful negotiations in this thread.
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Sep 23, 2015 13:19
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Saint Fu posted:Thanks for the advice everyone. Still waiting on the details of their relocation package before countering. I'll report back with the outcome to (hopefully) add to the running tally sheet of successful negotiations in this thread. e: glad I insisted on getting the relo number as part of the offer. Get things in writing folks! spf3million fucked around with this message at 19:29 on Sep 25, 2015 |
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Sep 25, 2015 19:03
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RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS posted:So I have a question. Only hypothetical right now but it may not be in a few weeks.
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Sep 27, 2015 15:18
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I came to an agreement yesterday with my new future employer on an offer. To recap, they had initially come in at 70% above my current salary (total compensation) with a 14% signing bonus on top of that. I asked for the relocation rental assistance figure in writing and, "oops, you actually won't be eligible for the rental supplement" so they bumped the offer to 75% above my current total compensation. I counter offered asking for 15% higher. They responded in a few hours saying that they couldn't go any higher on the base pay but they could give me a $10k signing bonus on top of the bonus already mentioned. I would have been happy with the original offer, and was certainly happy with the revised offer. I remember someone ITT saying to know when you've won and I felt like I maybe could have gone back to ask for more but honestly felt like I'd already won by getting $10k more they would have given me just by having the balls to ask for more. So thanks thread, I didn't get a higher base salary as part of the negotiation but I did get $10k more up front and I consider that a win 
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Sep 29, 2015 09:32
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I'd also add that sometimes a company might have good intentions but your labor just isn't worth as much to them as it is to another company. The other company might be willing to pay you more because they make more money off of your work. In that case, it makes sens to change companies.
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Oct 21, 2015 15:54
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Tots posted:Should I send this? Regarding the crossed-out part, yeah just give them one number. You could say you have been in discussions with another company and have a verbal offer for $X total compensation. Would you be willing to meet that offer?
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Oct 21, 2015 20:08
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FFFFFFF I negotiated for and accepted a new job with a new company for a big pay bump about a month ago. I still haven't completed the pre-employment process so my current company has no idea I'm leaving. An old boss just called me up and offered me a dream project which would last about 6 months located in a resort town in South America (with a roughly 50% pay bump). arrrghhhhh
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Oct 27, 2015 14:27
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Back to my current job. Or some other position in the company if there are openings. If it were my choice I'd do the project then take the job with the new company, basically tell the new company I'm not available until next summer. Need to talk myself out of it, I don't see how bringing that up could go over well with my future employer.
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Oct 27, 2015 15:59
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Chaotic Flame posted:For those that care, after a lengthy negotiation that involved an extra interview because I was asking for a salary bump that put me above their cap for the position apparently, I was able to negotiate a 7.5% bump in salary, a signing bonus to account for the lack of bonus in 2016, and a start date that allows for me to reach my vesting date for stock with my current company. Overall, I'm pretty happy.  congrats!
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Nov 2, 2015 16:25
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I'm with you. Accepted a job a month ago but still waiting on the completion of the pre-employment process. Took my drug test and physical last week so I'm hoping I can finally give my current employer notice in the next few days.
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Nov 2, 2015 18:39
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Keep in mind that your friend who makes 18k more, probably has shittier benefits and more corporate BS to deal with on a weekly basis. Basically the reasons you don't want to leave. Small companies frequently compensate for lower pay by giving more non-pay benefits such as an extra week of vacation. If you're not willing to leave you have a weak negotiating position. If more money is a priority, you're going to probably have to reconsider changing companies.
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Dec 15, 2015 15:58
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Sounds like a case of "know when you've 'won' ". You got a 15k increase with better benefits in a place you really want to work. It doesn't sound like you are willing to walk away from it so I'd recommend taking their offer and be extremely happy.
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Jan 27, 2016 17:17
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They might have some insider information that could help you in the interview process. Aside from that, generally they aren't that useful if you already know the company's name and found their posting online.
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Jan 28, 2016 22:00
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Need some advice on how to handle this situation. I accepted a job offer with a new company last fall. Prior to accepting, they sent me the offer along with a benefits package (titled benefits enrollment guide). In the package it described the pension as such: "[company] contributes quarterly to your pension account based on your age at the end of each quarter. Less than 30 : 4.5%, 30 to 39 : 5.5%, 40 to 49 : 6.5%, etc.." This was kind of vague to me so I asked the person doing the recruiting (Senior Recruiter, Talent Acquisition, HR) the following: "I do have a question regarding the pension calculation. Being that I am between 30-39, am I correct in understanding that the 5.5% is 5.5% of my base salary? I.e. 100,000 * 5.5% = 5,500 at the end of every quarter?" [note salary (100k) changed in this post to remain anonymous] She replied, "yes, the quarterly pension account would be 5.5% of eligible pay which includes bonuses, base pay, and also OT (if applicable, which is generally for non-exempt positions)." So I was under the impression I'd be getting $5,500 added to my pension account/fund every quarter. Now that I've started I've gotten a hold of the official document which contains the equations and runs projections. It describes the pension contributions as actually 5.5% of your eligibile pay during that quarter so it'll instead be 100,000 * 1/4 * 5.5% = 1,375 added to my account every quarter. This obviously adds up to quite a bit of money over a year let alone a career. So I am feeling very misled right now. I don't think it was necessarily intentional but regardless I feel I like was pretty clear in my question and the response I received via email indicates that my initial understanding was correct. I imagine my first step will be to go back to HR to ask for rectification but I'm considering going to my boss first instead. Or should I be prepared to lawyer up? I don't want to cause any problems and would happily keep working here if I were given what was negotiated for. Is there an obvious recourse for someone who has been misled (intentionally or otherwise) regarding pay/benefits during a negotiation and has a paper trail to prove it? Or maybe my case isn't as solid as I see it? e: I guess my questions were more intended to be after I approach HR/management and if/when they come back and say, sorry, the policy won't be changed for you. spf3million fucked around with this message at 21:02 on Feb 12, 2016 |
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Feb 12, 2016 20:46
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Dik Hz posted:Let's be realistic here. Did you seriously think they were going to give you +22% (or up) of your base salary per year into a pension? That is so far above even the best pension/retirement benefit out there that it bears greater scrutiny. Did you not have access to the official document as part of the offer before you accepted the position? Realistically, I agree that it's not very likely there will be anything I can do at this point. Again, I don't think it was intentional on their part nor do I feel like she was trying to screw me over, but I am feeling pretty misled by the whole thing. I'll give myself some time to cool off and collect my wits before approaching HR to see what they say. Maybe I'll be able to use it to leverage an additional raise or something. It took over a year for them to fill this role and the person who was last in it has made it very clear she will not be taking over duties again now that I've been hired. Anyway thanks for the replies. This turned into more of a rant than I initially intended.
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Feb 13, 2016 02:09
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The 401k is 75% match up to 8% contribution (6% max match). The point wasn't me trying to squeeze more out of them, they included the pension number in the initial offer and I wasn't clear on it so I asked what I thought was a clarifying question. Judging by most of the comments here I misunderstood the response (why the hell did they hire me, I can't understand anything!). For the record, the raise is almost entirely eaten up by COL so the other benefits were the major deciding factor in making the move. I had other alternatives at the time but now it would be very difficult to move since I'm locked in for 2 years on the relocation they gave me (or I could try to negotiate that out of a different company). But realistically I wouldn't move my family again 2 months after moving across the country. I'll probably wait until the quarterly pension is paid before saying anything. I'll keep working hard between now and then to prove that they made the right choice in hiring me. You're probably right, I most likely won't get anything more but I feel like it can't hurt to let them know (diplomatically of course) that I'm not 100% happy with it. Thanks again for all of the perspective, thread. BFC comes through again.
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Feb 14, 2016 17:28
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Everything you said is right. Their BATNA is better than my BATNA, I have very little negotiating leverage at this point. Thanks for the reality check all. You're spot on in my failure to better communicate. Hopefully someone else can learn from my humbling lesson.
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Feb 15, 2016 17:20
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