The salary dance
Jun. 30th, 2008 03:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
norsegirlAnd the salary negotiation dance begins. I absolutely hate this part of looking for and accepting a new job. I was reading a book on women and money and while men compare negotiations to a ball game, women compare it to visiting the dentist. Frankly, I like my dentist a lot more than negotiating my salary and would consider that comparison an insult to him.
For one, I'm a poor negotiator and I always "leave money on the table" as they say. I'm always so grateful to be hired that I feel kinda guilty asking for any more. That said, I realize that they want me and that asking for more won't make them rescind their previous offer, so there's really nothing to be lost. The worst that can happen is that they stand firm. Okay, so given that I have to ask for more, even though I don't really want to be in a position of making any kinds of demands, I'm never sure how high to push it.
For example, the current offer has two possible types of hires... a standard hire, at the standard rates for that position and an "opportunity hire" intended for a new university grad with no experience. The "opportunity level" caps out below the lowest rate for a normal hire. He's offered me something in the mid-range of the opportunity scale, justifying it by saying it is a 4.5% raise over my current rate. I understand that I don't have the required two years of experience in this field that the standard hire requires, however, I am also a little more experienced than the average new University grad. In order to take this job, I would have to cancel an interview for an Accountant position, which has a starting rate at the same level as the starting rate for this job as a standard hire, a position which I have a very good chance of getting, though it is certainly not guaranteed. Also, this job looks more interesting than the Accountant one, so I would be willing to take less for the more interesting work. I have asked to be placed at the highest level of the opportunity scale. He has said he'll get back to me after the holiday.
I hope that a) I get what I asked for and that b) I'm not selling myself short.
For one, I'm a poor negotiator and I always "leave money on the table" as they say. I'm always so grateful to be hired that I feel kinda guilty asking for any more. That said, I realize that they want me and that asking for more won't make them rescind their previous offer, so there's really nothing to be lost. The worst that can happen is that they stand firm. Okay, so given that I have to ask for more, even though I don't really want to be in a position of making any kinds of demands, I'm never sure how high to push it.
For example, the current offer has two possible types of hires... a standard hire, at the standard rates for that position and an "opportunity hire" intended for a new university grad with no experience. The "opportunity level" caps out below the lowest rate for a normal hire. He's offered me something in the mid-range of the opportunity scale, justifying it by saying it is a 4.5% raise over my current rate. I understand that I don't have the required two years of experience in this field that the standard hire requires, however, I am also a little more experienced than the average new University grad. In order to take this job, I would have to cancel an interview for an Accountant position, which has a starting rate at the same level as the starting rate for this job as a standard hire, a position which I have a very good chance of getting, though it is certainly not guaranteed. Also, this job looks more interesting than the Accountant one, so I would be willing to take less for the more interesting work. I have asked to be placed at the highest level of the opportunity scale. He has said he'll get back to me after the holiday.
I hope that a) I get what I asked for and that b) I'm not selling myself short.
