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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Job offer - AIBU to be unhappy with this salary?

120 replies

Robin42 · 27/02/2020 16:00

I have never negotiated a salary before so I am completely unsure how far to push this and the etiquette!

I applied for a job within the NHS where the salary was advertised as "22,143 - 24,949".

I have been offered the job and they offered me the lowest salary. I was surprised because even though I have not worked this specific role, this role is as a band 4, and I have previously worked as a band 6.

I replied saying that I would love to accept the offer however I believe that I had the relevant skills and experience that would justify an increase in salary. Because I don't see any reason why I shouldn't get the higher amount and they obviously have it available?

They replied back today simply saying we have attached your revised offer, please let us know if you want to accept it, and they have only increased it to £22,909.

Like I said, I have never negotiated before so perhaps I was too soft in my original email, but that isn't much of an increase at all! They also haven't given any reason or justification as to why they aren't increasing it towards the higher end of the scale.

I really want the job so if they say that is their last offer I would still accept it anyway - but I just feel like if they advertised that amount, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't get it as I believe I am more than experienced and competent for the role.

What do I do?!! I'm worried about looking really cheeky, but also the worst they can do is say no?? What should I respond back with?! Do I try and push for more?

OP posts:
cdtaylornats · 27/02/2020 19:04

If I was doing the recruitment I would now be sending letters out to the next two candidates and sending you a final offer or possibly a "so sorry you are unable to accept the post at this time" and putting a note on your file saying "awkward".

You'll have got an offer commensurate with their budget.

Your band 6 is not relevant as this is a different post. Presumably you knew it was band 4 when to applied.

Littlebean0506 · 27/02/2020 19:06

My partner is band 3 NHS he currently gets a lower wage but after 6 months when his probation period has finished it'll go up. Maybe something like that will happen to you too

daisypond · 27/02/2020 19:08

Keep going until they come back and say it's their final offer, they're not going to withdraw the offer just because you're negotiating.
This is terrible advice. You will lose the job if you do this. They are likely to withdraw the offer.

dungtwicebother · 27/02/2020 19:13

I took a public sector job at the top of a scale.
When they offered the job, I said I would only accept under the condition I was paid the maximum available.

I still get pay rises incrementally every year and a bonus because they can't increase my band.

I was absolutely worth it though Grin

HavelockVetinari · 27/02/2020 19:14

daisypond that's highly unlikely and also stupid advice - they want the best candidate. I've run lots of senior and less senior recruitment campaigns, we've had plenty of candidates chance their arm. Never have we ever rejected someone for being "too bold". FFS.

jesswhitesocks · 27/02/2020 19:15

Hi,

I work within the NHS in a band 7 role- it's a project role and quite niche.

When they offered the position I negotiated with the hiring manager, stating that unless they could offer the top of the scale I couldn't accept the job- they did and I accepted.

I did have a lot of NHS experience but not within the last couple of years.

It depends on the hiring managers clout and how much they want/need you- I would try for a little more and then either accept or cut your losses and decline, don't go back and forth too much though that doesn't instill confidence in a employer!

daisypond · 27/02/2020 19:15

It isn’t. I’ve known a few people who thought they’d try negotiating and they had the job offer withdrawn.

MamaFlintstone · 27/02/2020 19:16

I’m in LG and I’m surprised they’ve even gone up one increment. If you want the higher salary shouldn’t you be applying for higher banded jobs? I’d only apply for a banded job in LG, civil service or NHS where I was happy with the lowest point of the grade.

leavesrfalling · 27/02/2020 19:16

Cdtaylornats
If I was doing the recruitment I would now be sending letters out to the next two candidates and sending you a final offer or possibly a "so sorry you are unable to accept the post at this time" and putting a note on your file saying "awkward".

Wow - hope I don't come across you in any future salary negotiations!

GiveHerHellFromUs · 27/02/2020 19:17

Tell them the salary you want. If they say no they'll offer you a lesser salary then you can decide whether you're happy with it or not. Simple.

Yogawoogie · 27/02/2020 19:19

Is the band 6 in a similar setting?
Can I ask why you are going from 6 to 4?

isthischeekyfuckeryorwhat · 27/02/2020 19:25

*took a public sector job at the top of a scale.
When they offered the job, I said I would only accept under the condition I was paid the maximum available.

I still get pay rises incrementally every year and a bonus because they can't increase my band.

I was absolutely worth it though* 

How does this work? I've been at the top of my scale for years, no increases or bonuses whatsoever

MrsStrangerThing · 27/02/2020 19:30

The range shows the bottom and top of the pay scale, you can expect to move up a point each year. I am surprised you don't know that when you have worked in the NHS before!

WikkiTikkiWoo · 27/02/2020 19:36

I've also negotiated salary in NHS.. I moved to a different trust to a higher band role. They offered with bottom of band, but I said which spine point I wanted to counteract loss of high cost allowance. They were fine with this.

Gizmo79 · 27/02/2020 19:38

I only started negotiating when I was a band 7 and offered several jobs within a short period so it was easy to do. If you can be relatively easily replaced then no, don’t do it. However, if you are lucky enough to be in a niche position then go for it.

TheWordWomanIsTaken · 27/02/2020 19:42

There is confusion between what happens in the private sector where often a salary isn't advertised and you can tell the recruiter what you are expecting and then negotiate. I know people in the private sector who earn up to £10k more or sometimes less than their colleagues.
In the public sector it simply doesn't work like that. There is a salary band based on the role not the person doing the role. So the gender pay gap within roles doesn't really apply in Local government. It is more likely that white males hog the top/management roles hence earn more.
It is irrelevant to that role that you have worked in a higher banded role previously. Even if you exceed the person specification, that's not really relevant either because you don't need to exceed the ps to do the job.
Sure there will be outriders who managed to negotiate a higher start point on the scale (I'm one of them) but it is not the norm.

HavelockVetinari · 27/02/2020 19:43

@daisypond oh aye HmmGrin

daisypond · 27/02/2020 19:53

What on earth do you mean? Many jobs you cannot negotiate on salary. If you’re a high flyer or niche, it might be possible, but ordinary jobs, no. A friend of mine, urged by his know it all partner, who was in HR - different sector - insisted his job offer salary was negotiable. And it wasn’t. They withdrew the offer and offered it to the next candidate. It seems some people have no idea how other companies or sectors operate.

Verily1 · 27/02/2020 20:20

This is how the public sector works! You start at the bottom and every year you go up til you get to the top of your band.

You are very fortunate they offered you more at all!

Leithwalk · 27/02/2020 20:23

daisypond - They withdrew the offer and offered it to the next candidate. It seems some people have no idea how other companies or sectors operate
I agree with you about different sectors. I appointed a headteacher, who on being offered the job tried to renegotiate the salary - the job was withdrawn, we re-advertised and found someone else.

TFSRM · 27/02/2020 20:26

Yes you can negotiate this. Don't expect higher than the top of the band, that's the highest they will be able to go. Don't negotiate via email, phone them up.

Ginfilledcats · 27/02/2020 20:40

As others have said, if you're currently working as a b6 and have stepped down to b4 then they have to pay top of scale, otherwise you're quite lucky to have got a negotiated rate, especially at b4.

Best of luck in your new role x

Hairyfairy01 · 27/02/2020 20:40

With respect, it's a band 4 position. If you were a band 7/8 maybe you could negotiate due to specialist skills etc, but there are many people out there who would be delighted to be offered a band 4 job. And I say that as a band 4, we are easy to replace.

dungtwicebother · 27/02/2020 20:56

Itsacheeky

Dunno how the bonus thing works. Every year I get a letter that calculates a % bonus in lieu of scale rise because I can't go up.

It's also related to performance

I took a 60% pay cut when I went to civil service from private - totally different role and sector. I moved out of London.

Money doesn't motivate me hence I don't really know

lljkk · 27/02/2020 21:11

In my public sector job they literally don't have the budget to go up; the money is allocated at that band, starting at the bottom and going to the top but there isn't any extra outside that range. There isn't a magic money tree to find extra money from.