I am just about to email to turn down a job offer for a job I actually really want. Anyone else had this occur?

[ThatBliddyWoman]

I have had two interviews for the job, one just an informal meeting and the second a presentation. Both went well and I was offered the job. It was advertised as (for example) the pay starting at about 2K less than I am on now, and going up to 3 and a half thousand more.

They've offered me the very lowest end of the scale, because I don't have all of the experience they wanted.

They wanted a degree, experience in one particular field and experience in another field. I have two degrees (a Masters) and experience in one but not both of the areas so they'd start me on the lowest pay.

It's also more hours than I do now (albeit not many) some hours WFH some in the office. So I'd have to factor in petrol costs, and paying a dog walker.

I've looked at my finances over and over and I just can't do it :(

I keep re-wording the email. What I want them to do is to come back and say 'Great we'll give you more money then!' but It's not likely is it.

I have a gut feeling that they've not had many people apply. I breezed through both the interviews, I got the impression they really liked me :(

It's also in a field I really want to work in and really want to gain experience in. They'd offered to put me through a qualification I have always wanted too.

Gutted. Has anyone else had something such as this happen?

I’ve always negotiated my offer up. I’ve also had the same done to me when offering roles. It’s completely normal. Don’t be afraid to say “if you offer me £X I will accept immediately but I’m going to have to turn down your offer if you don’t”.
The best time to get a pay rise is when you are negotiating your starting salary. Much harder once you’re in post.

Definitely this!
Please try even if it feels uncomfortable. You've nothing to lose. Good luck and please update!!

Have a conversation with them and explain the minimum you will accept in order to take the job. I did this just a few months ago when offered a job I really wanted (they offered me the lower end of the pay band and I needed the middle), and it worked. They may even be expecting you to negotiate. Good luck!!!

In my current job they offered me less then my previous role and I wen back I did it verbally and said ‘this is less then my current pay I really like you but I am also happy where I am so I would need to be offered more then I am currently on to make it viable as I would also be relocating’ they said HR - won’t offer more and I said can you ask X - the head of the organisation what his maximum offer is and they offered me £10,000 more plus relocation expenses and also offered me an interest free loan and to be guarantor for anywhere I wanted to rent whilst the house was selling

ask and do it politely

Please don't turn it down - ask for more money. I have done this at offer stage and succeeded.

The point is at offer stage, they want you - and they don't want to have to go through recruiting all over again. The worst that can happen is they say no and you don't take the job - the best case scenario is you get the job on the money you need.

Hope you get an appropriate offer.

Then that's what you put in your reply;

"Thanks for interviewing me, <name> . I enjoyed meeting you and am certainly interested in the advertised post and your company. Unfortunately I have to refuse your salary offer as its significantly below my current pay. Do please keep me in mind for any future vacancies that arise. "

It's not a flat refusal; it lets them know that if they want you they'll have to make a better offer. Leaves the ball in their court, and negotiations open.

You're in a really strong position. It'll cost them thousands to advertise and interview and manage for months longer without a person in post. 1.3 million people have vanished from the UK job market and good job-seekers have the upper hand in many sectors. A man wouldn't have any qualms about negotiating and turning it down if it didn't suit. Set a minimum in your head. Don't try and pare it back to the bone in order to look reasonable. What would they have to pay you to really make it worth your while?

Then phone the person who's made the offer and have a friendly chat. Everyone's aware of high interest rates and massive rises in living costs. There's no shame in saying that you can't afford to work for them unless they make it worth your while.

Agree with Echobelly. Once you are offered the job you can begin the negotiations on your package. I always encourage peopleto ask for more money. Infact, I always think less of people that just accept the first salary without trying to improve it. If they can't be bothered improving their salary what else are they lacking?

Goodness maxi, I have never asked for more money. Ever. I've always assumed that there is a range/salary scale for the job and they'll pay that and no more. To be fair, I know that to be true in some jobs and everyone was paid the same (male and female, I checked). There are quite a few employers who check the salary with you before they even interview you because they don't want to offer the job to someone who wants more money than they can or want to afford. I've had that as well.

What am I lacking? A materialistic outlook. Also I think it depends on your career path, if you move for promotions and know your worth, you'll ask for more money. If you have been made redundant you'll need a job so will take the first salary offer as long as it's not ridiculously low.

Definitely worth negotiating - even if they just meet your current salary - a differenceof 2k can be a big diffetence to an individual but not to a company- if they had to put the job back out to recruitment that would probably cost them more.

I agree with @Ouchiebum - anything like "it's a wonderful opportunity but I cant make the sums work" approach is minimising the fact you are right for the job, you would be an asset to them with all your skills, qualifications and experience, and they are trying to get you in the cheap and make you feel like they are doing you a favour. They wouldn't even try that on if you were a man.

Before I got my current role, I went for an interview at a University, absolutely aced the interview - in fact there was a message on my answerphone by the time I got home, but when they sent me the offer letter and pay scales, I noticed I was at the bottom of the pay scale even though I had post graduate qualifications. I thought, you're having a laugh!!

I rang the recruiting manager and said I was "disappointed at how little you value my skills and what I can offer the role, your offer is no longer attractive to me". They said how surprised they were and that they were expecting me to negotiate. Really? So, offer me the bare minimum in the hope you'll get me on the cheap and then begrudgingly offer a few crumbs more! That's not how I negotiate, it isn't a Dutch Auction.

In your case, I would decline the offer, with no apology - you will get other job offers that at least give you a reasonable point of departure from which to negotiate, not just the minimum they can get away with.

I went on to get a job offer in the same field and when they called to offer me the job, they asked me what salary I wanted, and immediately accepted my proposal, so I was glad I held out for an employer who valued me (I'm still there 😊)

We are instructed by HR to always make the first offer at the bottom of the band.

I don’t, but I can get away with it as my team is tangential to the main company. If I did, I would expect push back. Good luck!

Seems unlikely over the weekend! Yea

I currently get a private healthcare membership and a decent pension too.

OP you must factor both of these into the package they offer you. Don't accept a couple of grand over your current salary but no healthcare. Price what you are worth iuncluding the pension, healthcare and a salary rise and take nothing less.

I have just retired from an organisation that has done a lot of management recruiting this year. Typically the new members of staff negotiated about 3k more than they were originally offered. My replacement negotiated a bit but accepted £2k less than I was getting. Employers will usually offer more.

Hi OP I've not RTFT but I literally had this scenario for my current job, there was a band and they offered me the bottom of the band even though I aced the interview process and was very qualified in experience and education. Even the top of the band was less pro rata than my previous salary (but the p/t hours suited me as a new Mum) I basically just said is the salary negotiable as the top of the band is still a pay cut for me. And they came back within the day to offer me the top of the band.

Definitely don't turn down the job if you want it!

This is a really interesting thread that I've saved for future reference.

OP, I know from experience that the dream job is actually far from that.

I applied for my dream job in early 2021. I had literally been waiting years for such an opportunity. Spent ages on my application and I more than ticked every box.

I had to go through 3 interviews. I was one of 5 candidates. They were a charity and said they'd be happy to let people work from home either part or full time. I wanted full time. They said the job would be a permanent job too.

I was the only candidate not given the job. They clearly only wanted part time. They told me they loved me and wanted to offer me a job but didn't have budget to do so. They said when they had more budget they'd take me on. 6 months later, I heard they'd won a huge grant relevant to that particular project they had been recruiting for, but they still didn't come back to me to offer a job (I had another opportunity by then anyway).

A year later, none of the 4 who were recruited were working there anymore and in fact some left after a few months. The project is no longer running. The job that was meant to be permanent clearly wasn't and the job that could be done either part or full time, clearly wasn't for full timers. I heard from others in the industry that they had pissed their funding up the wall and the people appointed were bored with nothing to do.

I'm now in a job I absolutely love. I would never have called it my dream job but it actually is. So not getting that job worked out well for me.

Oh and I'd never apply for a job that had a salary scale starting lower than I currently was on, unless I was prepared to be offered that lower salary. Consider your experience a lesson OP.

Thank you all-I will reply to a few now but come back asap to the rest.

No update yet, sorry!

@BeanStew22 thank
you-that makes sense. I am not an unintelligent person but nor am I very good with economist skills! Everything has changed hasn’t it!?

I am writing a thesis (I can’t afford to do a PHD) to keep my brain active but I’d love a role where I was more fulfilled. I feel a bit ‘static’ where I am now. No room for mobility-they advertise vacancies but only ones either less prestigious than mine (and less money) or that I simply can’t do (not the right qualifications or personality).

@AnnaBegins that’s fantastic!
@billy1966 yes it is I guess. I wouldn’t mind working one day/night of the weekend realy but Fri/Sat/Sun nights all at once just makes life a bit upside down. I am forever having to turn down days out, socialising, nights out, family events and I just feel I deserve a bit better at my age and for how hard I’ve worked for my qualifications and experience? I know the world owes nobody a living of course and I’d do any job rather than not work, but I’d like to keep moving forward and gain more experience and challenges-I feel I could do what I do now drunk standing on my head if I am honest. Thank you for the advice. It makes a lot of sense and I am looking for other jobs now, something that suits me must be out there –I hope-- !
It really is a low-ball offer too, I might have even under-exaggerated just how much they want for how little!
It would be much harder when already in the post, I can see that @Cordeliathecat and others who’ve said similar!
Thanks for all the good luck 😊

Another success story @laurajayneinkent

@Rocketclub I did mention in the first interview that I was actually really happy where I am now and I am-just striving for more challenges as mentioned above, the only issue is weekend work and feeling a bit at a career standstill where I am. I am so glad you got what you wanted! I need some of what you’ve got!

@Echobelly I may sound like I am conceited but I really think they did really like me. She seemed disappointed when I said I’d think about it rather than accepted their offer straight away.

@pattihews 1.3 million! Where did you get the information from please? (I believe you, I just want to become more knowledgeable about this sort of thing).

@maxi2100 those kind of comments are really helping to change my mindset (and by the looks if it are helpful for others who’ve read the thread, too.

@reigatecastle I don’t feel I am materialistic. I just can’t afford to take a pay cut when the job will mean I’ll be spending more (commute, dog care, giving up freelance work) or at all, really even without all of this plus they want quite a lot for the little they’re offering. I just feel I’m worth more.

Really you’ve got nothing to lose in asking for more money - either they say no, and you are where you are already in turning it down, or they say yes and you have a job you are keen on and more money! (I always ask for more money and I have rarely been turned down) I accidentally once asked for more money for a weeks pay and they thought I was asking for a day rate - and paid it! I kept very quiet 😜

They have opened low in a salary negotiation. You know your worth, and they have invested loads in preparing for interviews and whittling down the candidates, you are their FAVOURITE. Typically HR are given a window of salary they can offer you, but the hiring manager can easily hike your rate if they think that’s the only way to get you.

DEFINITELY don’t decline! You need to thank them for their offer, tell them how much you enjoyed the recruitment process with them and really see how you will fit into the existing team and add a lot of added benefit. Be clear that you interviewed for the role with the expectation that they would be able to pay you the top end of the salary band, which would work out financially for you and be an exciting transition. The cost of them lifting the salary by a couple of £k isn’t going to affect the HR team at all. Keep negotiating and remember - you know your worth.

Specifically but a price on the pension and healthcare plan you are under.

These are both excellent perks to have.

I've never seen someone so polite as to specifically reply to so many individual posts 🤣You sound lovely OP, we could do with more people like you where I work 🤣 Best of luck to you!

@TooGood2BeFalse I thought the same!

You sound lovely @ThatBliddyWoman and I hope they improve their offer and snap you up.