To negotiate the offered salary? Would so appreciate views / HR help!

[Salarymallory]

First job returning to work since being a sahm for 14 years.

I was a professional, highly paid.

I accept that 14 years no experience, I am bloody lucky to have secured this position!.

The detail
£23,500 a year
pro rata 24 hours a week so £14,500

HR has said that I was an exceptional candidate and they offered me the job that evening. I have the offer letter and asked for the weekend to consider.

To fit better with school, I would like to work 22.5 hours rather than 24 hours a week.

Could I go back and say that I will accept the position but 1.5 hours less a week for the same salary?

I was given the impression that mr salary would slightly increase after a short period.

They are apparently fairly flexible re hours.

Many thanks

It's very, very hard to judge on the information given. What kind of job is it? How important are fixed hours? How much skill is required to do it? Why is it 24 hours - is that 3 x 8 hours? What happens outside of the hours you work, does the job have to be covered by someone else?

I think it's a risk tbh. Yes, it's not many hours, but you're simultaneously asking for a reduction in hours and an increase in pay. I think at this stage you'd quite likely get a yes because they're invested, but I'm not sure I'd be too impressed in their shoes. A lot depends on the circumstances though, as above.

Fixed hours are most definitely not especially important to the role

* think at this stage you'd quite likely get a yes because they're invested, but I'm not sure I'd be too impressed in their shoes*

Interesting
In finance as I was in previously - salary negotiations were absolutely expected.
But I’ve been out of it so long that perhaps all changed...?

Negotiate the two separately. I'd suggest salary first. Then if they for example offer £25k after you've asked for £26k, add in the hours reduction. So you ask £26 but point out if they agree slightly fewer hours their actual expenditure is the £25 they were happy with.

Nothing has changed - if you say you'd love to accept the job but would prefer x then they are free to say yes or no?!

It's not so much that you're negotiating salary as that you're trying to negotiate both salary and hours at once and you're negotiating hours very late in the game. Salary negotiation at this stage is normal, for skilled jobs anyway. And again it depends hugely on how hard it is to find good people for the role, how much skill is involved, etc. If you can be easily replaced, tolerance for salary negotiation will be much lower.

Ultimately it's very hard to judge from the outside. You'll have to weigh the factors yourself and decide how important it is to raise this, how likely you think it is to piss them off and how much you care about that, if you think it will.

I would negotiate a higher salary, I would start at the hours they offered, then say 3 or 6 months in you ask to drop the 1.5 hours, once they know you and like your work.

Then that drops back to the 24K pa (or whatever it is) for the lesser hours.

Also when negotiating make sure you ask whether there will be annual review, any element of performance related pay or bonus for the future.

Good luck, and well done for getting a job offer!

Thank you all
Lots to mull over

So I would suck up the 1.5 hours (because hopefully you should be able to cover that somehow) and then when you are in a position to drop down, because you have shown them that you perform well, and you negotiated above where you wanted you have a choice.

You can drop down the hours without a financial impact that you have not planned for.

You can decide actually that you can cope with the 1.5 hours a week and just keep going.

Not sure if that helps, but well done again!

I would totally negotiate the salary. Every man but one I've offered a job to has done it. Only one woman has done it. I always make a point of doing it.

I wouldn't conflate the hours and salary in the way suggested though. I'd negotiate the two separately, so propose 25k and the hours you'd like.

@ApplestheHare

I would totally negotiate the salary. Every man but one I've offered a job to has done it. Only one woman has done it. I always make a point of doing it.

I wouldn't conflate the hours and salary in the way suggested though. I'd negotiate the two separately, so propose 25k and the hours you'd like.

Separately but at the same time? Ie tomorrow

Imho this is when you are at your most powerful in a negotiation on a job offer. I think you should definitely ask for what you want.

For £18 a week I wouldn't rock the boat.
Ask for the reduced hours, after 6 months ask for a pay rise.
You don't want to appear a nuisance at this early stage.

@Babysharkdododont

For £18 a week I wouldn't rock the boat. Ask for the reduced hours, after 6 months ask for a pay rise. You don't want to appear a nuisance at this early stage.

I honestly don’t think any man would say this. To describe negotiation as being a nuisance

I wouldn't bat an eye at a salary negotation, but a salary negotiation for fewer hours would make me raise my eyes.

Or eyebrows, rather!

Ask for what you want OP! The worst they can say is no.

Definitely negotiate the salary - but a cut of 1.5hr a week is strange. It’s not going to make much of a difference in the amount of work you do - unless your jobs requires constant presence/someone covering shifts. Unlikely in finance.
Can you not work around drop offs/ pickups and make up the hours later?

Congratulations on the new job!
Obviously this depends on the industry but in my world, negotiating about 90 mins a week feels a bit measly- it's like you will be the biggest clock watcher ever. Can't you find a way to make up the time so it is 24 hours? After school club etc? Then see how it goes later in?
Oh and negotiate salary, obvs.

I’d negotiate salary and when they invariably counter offer I’d then suggest the reduced hours for their counter offer.

Also going to say - they give you the amount of work they expect. If you’re good you can get it all done in less
Time and keep the hours. If not then you’ll have to work extra to finish anyway.
This is assuming a reasonable amount of work w.r.t your skill. Being overworked is a different story

Really appreciate this
Ok - no to hours

@domesticslattern

Congratulations on the new job! Obviously this depends on the industry but in my world, negotiating about 90 mins a week feels a bit measly- it's like you will be the biggest clock watcher ever. Can't you find a way to make up the time so it is 24 hours? After school club etc? Then see how it goes later in? Oh and negotiate salary, obvs.

I’m surprised nobody else has picked up on this - seems like nobody bothers reading the post properly

@Salarymallory

Really appreciate this Ok - no to hours

Hope nego goes well and once again well done on the job offer xx

Could you do the extra in the evening/before school?