Asking for more money than job offer states!

[rash_decision]

As per title really, I am looking for some advice on this please.

I was emailed a couple of weeks ago, and asked if I would be interested in a position that had become vacant. A good few emails sent back and forward with information on the position, but only a 'guesstimate' at the salary.

Fast forward to Tuesday of this week, and due to being overseas, I had a 57 minute telephone interview, with an offer ensuing minutes after the call ended. During the call, the regional director hadn't mentioned the salary, but did say to me that he believed the rough figure mentioned by the recruitment girl was in the ballpark to interest me, fair enough, it was.

I received the official offer via email this morning, and everything is fine with exception to the salary. Comparing it to colleagues doing a similar role, albeit 3/4 years ago, they were on £6-8k more, with less responsibility. The salary is still good, but I feel should be slightly more, and after speaking with my old director, he felt so too, and added that it is fairly normal these days for folk to ask for more money, with some justification. He thought it even made an applicant look more professional.

I'm looking for some opinions from the masses on this, as I am now thinking if it is common place to ask, maybe they have a contingency to go up a little on what would be a normal, everyday request with a job offer. My old boss reckons I should, because once I take the job and discover everyone around me is on more money then I am stuck!

For reference, it is a large, worldwide engineering company, with a cast of thousands, if that would have any bearing on asking for more money. Am I likely to jeopardise the offer, or if they won't up the offer just stick with what is on the table, generally???

Thanks in advance.

Edited by rash_decision on Thursday 20th October 18:43

[rash_decision]

vsonix said:

Not a nice position to be in really, the recruitment consultant has played you by making you interview for a role he knows you wouldn't have considered otherwise. I find it hard to believe that he would have accepted the brief and started contacting candidates etc. if he didn't know what the salary was being offered!
Are there any other perks to the position that might offset the difference in take home pay - i.e. free gym, food, pension/healthcare package etc? Is it significantly closer to your house or cheaper/easier to travel to? Are you in urgent need of a new position or are you at liberty to pick/choose when you leave the existing one? If you aren't pressed then there is no harm in saying that you are interested in the position but it'd take equal to or more than your existing wage to consider moving - I mean it's only normal not to want to take a pay cut unless it's made up for in other ways.

Thanks for the reply. It's not a comparable job to my last by any means. I worked offshore for 4 years and quit earlier this year for some time to myself, sa have been effectively unemployed since March. This role is based on my previous experience as a field engineer, which took me away from home for about 80% of the year, but now in an office based role. The benefits are being at home 95% of the time, and having some long awaited home time. The job is offering £30k less than my last job, but that have heavily loaded due to being in an offshore environment. This job is far handier, far safer in every aspect, and a good career move, with potential to open many doors, moving forward.

Given the job I quit, and also the one before that, money isn't a big driver for me these days. Sure we all work for a salary and not fun, but what I mean by my original question is the job suits, but equally don't want to sell myself short. There is a 15% bonus scheme and decent employer pension contributions, which hang off the salary, so a few grand more wouldn't make a massive difference, but would be nice. I also don't want to appear like a soft touch and that is the way things continue, if it is expected in this day and age to negotiate ????

[rash_decision]

Also, please forgive my typing, I am away from home and using my tablet!!!!

[rash_decision]

Also, please forgive my typing, I am away from home and using my tablet!!!!

[rash_decision]

Some Gump said:

I've negotiated significant changes from initial offer on the last 2 jobs.
Don't say, "thanks but no thanks". Start with "I really want to work with you, but.."

Solid justifications as to why you want more. "Billy did a similar job and got paid more" won't cut it. This is about YOU and their job, nothing more. The recruiting people have a task to get you for as little as they think you'll securely join for, that's their job. If you have better alternatives, higher costs to consider on switch, impact to private life that needs to outweigh via higher spending, all can be used.

If the offer is a package, think of the total cost for your employer. My last one - I argued my case for salary. They were struggling to agree. I offered "Well, I'm expecting to opt out of the co. car scheme anyway. Upgrade me to whatever band makes the difference in pay, you save the NI side and we're done". They agreed straight away and it was giving them the last word whilst getting exactly what I wanted.
I'm aware of people seeing huge recruiting co. fees and that being a factor. I've heard (but not experienced) doing a deal where you get salary x, but have (in writing) increase to y after probation, or guaranteed 1st year bonus of z (subject to probation). This might again reduce the total cost to them, but the legalities / rules are a grey area to me. I'm not bothered about the ethics tho, because recruiters are in the same class as estate agents and taxi men =)

Great advice, thanks. I'm not expecting a massive jump, but more in line with what I know the job should pay, from experience and talking to some folk in the same role, in the same industry.

I need to sell myself, and remind them they approached me, so they must have had good reason, as you say, with justification for my asking.

I was going to ask if the salary could be looked at, to start the conversation, and if I hit a brick wall straight away, suggest some sort of reevaluation after my probationary period. Would this be fair enough, rather than going back to them with a figure do you think?

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Gargamel said:

Hi,
I work for a global business as their internal recruiter, I have negotiated hundreds of offers over the last six years.

There is usually no problem in asking, it varies so much, what band, are you at the bottom of the offer range or already over budget, who knows.

Phone the recruiter, tell them the issue, detail your last package, tell them you recognise some of the premium was due to overseas working, but you need to get closer to X figure.

I have never then rejected a candidate for asking for a little more, However I haven't always said yes either....

Would you say that most employers would expect the salary to be queried in this day and age?

[rash_decision]

I had a discussion with the recruitment girl earlier today, and told her that I felt the role was being sold short, and I thought, with experience and knowledge of the role, that the salary should have been higher. She was receptive of this, and was forwarding on to HR. The recruitment girl is an employee of the company, as they are pretty big. I have asked for a figure above that offered and will have a response on Monday as it has to go through the US.

It wasn't as daunting a conversation as I anticipated, and kind of think I should have asked for more, and allowed them to come back to what I have asked for!!!

Roll on Monday.................