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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

53 replies

Salarymallory · 28/03/2021 19:53

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

OP posts:
Alienchannell21 · 28/03/2021 21:03

If you don't ask you don't get! I set out my salary expectations, days I wanted to work and also that I wanted term time only. All agreed.

SurreyFlurry92 · 28/03/2021 21:04

How many hours would you be working per day? If you are due to work more than 6 hours a day they will have factored you in a break (20minute minimum by law).

If you are contracted to 3x 8 hour days and they have given you a hours lunch break perhaps negotiate down to a 30 minute lunch break (1.5hrs saved pw) so you can still start and leave at the same time and carry out 24hrs of work. That way when you negotiate a higher salary you are showing that you are playing ball with the 24hrs pw and sacrificing your break to meet their requirements. May soften the blow.

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 28/03/2021 21:05

I have never heard of salary negotiation! I work public sector and pretty sure it’s not a ‘thing’
Well done on getting the job @Salarymallory let us know how it goes

SnackSizeRaisin · 28/03/2021 21:10

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?

But the op will be watching the clock if she has children to collect. She isn't going to be staying late to finish the work. If after school club is needed 3 days a week that could cost more than she gets paid for the 1.5 hours anyway.
I don't think there's anything wrong with asking. If it's hugely inconvenient to the employer for some reason they may say no but otherwise the worst that will happen is they will offer the reduced hours at reduced pay. Negotiating at this stage is usually the best chance you get and it sounds like they really want you so nothing to lose.

SnackSizeRaisin · 28/03/2021 21:15

I have never heard of salary negotiation! I work public sector

Public sector pay is much more transparent and it makes the whole thing hugely less stressful! In the private sector there are frequently gaps between what equivalent male and female employees earn of £5k, or even more - hence the need to negotiate.
There is negotiation at higher levels in the public sector (at least in my area) and even at lower levels there is often a salary range that you could be placed at the top or bottom of depending on what you ask for.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 28/03/2021 21:29

My last job was public sector, @Whatelsecouldibecalled and I negotiated two spinal points up from the starting salary, within the advertised grade. I expected they would give me one up!

Shy bairns get nae toffee.

NotAPanda · 28/03/2021 22:09

@SnackSizeRaisin

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?

But the op will be watching the clock if she has children to collect. She isn't going to be staying late to finish the work. If after school club is needed 3 days a week that could cost more than she gets paid for the 1.5 hours anyway.
I don't think there's anything wrong with asking. If it's hugely inconvenient to the employer for some reason they may say no but otherwise the worst that will happen is they will offer the reduced hours at reduced pay. Negotiating at this stage is usually the best chance you get and it sounds like they really want you so nothing to lose.

But the OP wants both higher pay AND reduced hours - in this context people are suggesting the former first. Will it actually make a difference though? 1.5 hours isn’t a lot of time. If the OP can get X amount of work done in less than 24 hours. Request flexibility around pickup/drop-off times . She will still have completed ‘24 hrs worth’ of work and won’t need to work late. She’ll only need to work late if she has too much work in which case she’ll probably be overworked anyway for a part timer and be doing more than 24 hours.
NotAPanda · 28/03/2021 22:11

Also in my experience if full-timers end up working more part-timers are expected to do the same as well. OP should see if her workplace is like this - in which case she might as well keep the extra 1.5 hrs...as she’s doing the extra work anyway...

IveNameChangedAgain2020 · 28/03/2021 22:24

If you don't ask you don't get. I don't understand all of these responses. It's best to manage expectations now about what you want rather than you trying to sort afterwards. Just explain your situation - I'm very senior and I'd have no problems with what your suggesting. As PP have said - a man would have ZERO issues doing this.

TinaTurnoff · 28/03/2021 22:28

How will you manage summer holidays, @Salarymallory? Are you looking for the shorter hours only from now until July? Will your children be longer in school from September? Ie how temporary is your reduced hours request for?

BusyLizzie61 · 29/03/2021 05:28

4hrs 48 minutes versus 4hrs 30 minutes
Is that 18 minutes really that significant?
How long is the commute? Is it wfh?

Original poster
Salarymallory · 29/03/2021 07:33

@BusyLizzie61

4hrs 48 minutes versus 4hrs 30 minutes Is that 18 minutes really that significant? How long is the commute? Is it wfh?
Would your child’s school be ok with you always being 18 mins late?
OP posts:
Original poster
Salarymallory · 29/03/2021 07:35

So I have thought about it and so appreciate the responses

I am going to ask for a small salary increase
I am going to say that I’m happy with the hours but wonder if there is any flexibility to allow for school pick ups but if I commit to making up the time by having a shorter lunch or another suggestion they think would work

OP posts:
MRex · 29/03/2021 07:43

Good call OP. Always get the extra cash. I'd ask to get written confirmation about flexible working hours and to make up some time on a specific evening. Kids can get used to "it's Wednesday, so we watch TV over dinner while mum works".

AdultierAdult · 29/03/2021 07:45

I always ask for a larger salary increase than I think I'll get and settle in the middle. Those saying not to 'risk' it are a symptom of the reason there is a pay gap. It's a two way relationship you need to be happy with too. They're not going to pull your offer for negotiating, it's normal practice.

cloudchaos · 29/03/2021 07:57

I would definitely ask for the hours I needed to work now rather than later and ask for the salary I wanted. You're in a strong position and there's nothing unreasonable about the request. You'll kick yourself if you don't and end up taking a job which now has the stress of school pickup problems. Honestly there's nothing wrong with negotiating, it has to work for you both.

Beautiful3 · 29/03/2021 08:30

I don't see the harm in asking about both. As long as you ask nicely.

DianaT1969 · 29/03/2021 08:44

I would only negotiate the salary. But it isn't a highly paid role, so I'm not sure it's worth it for 3-5% of that salary.
I would only try to change the hours in 6 months. It's not as if your children will always be that age.
If you do both, I would suspect that you weren't committed.

yeOldeTrout · 29/03/2021 08:50

Salaries are not negotiable at my level, in my industries - always intrigued by that. I would value reduction of hours over salary negotiations.

Aprilx · 29/03/2021 08:52

@Salarymallory

So I have thought about it and so appreciate the responses

I am going to ask for a small salary increase
I am going to say that I’m happy with the hours but wonder if there is any flexibility to allow for school pick ups but if I commit to making up the time by having a shorter lunch or another suggestion they think would work

I have been running finance departments for the last twenty years or so. To be honest you would get my back up with this approach, not so much the salary negotiation but regarding the hours. Although as an aside on salary negotiation, I have not seen so much of that these last few years. Certainly I accepted my last three roles (going back a while) with no negotiation because they offered at the top of the band they said they would and I thought I received a good offer in the first place, so I am not going to negotiate for the sake of it.

Anyway, as I say, it would be more the hours negotiation that would bother me, asking for a 90 minute reduction after I have recruited for a 24 hour role would be very annoying. You are not likely to be the only parent in the department and I have never had any parent ask me to accommodate school pick up before. It would make me quite concerned about your jobsworth / clock watching nature with the whole “making up for it at lunch” too.

20viona · 29/03/2021 08:53

In my profession you can't negotiate salary but you can definitely apply for flexible working so I'd be asking to drop the hours not ask for more money at the same time when you haven't even started.

Babysharkdododont · 29/03/2021 13:34

OP I have always negotiated salaries, earnt well and been happy with my salary. This is nothing to do with being a humble and subservient female. It's to do with you looking like a PITA. as others have said, it makes you look clock watchy and a bit petty, and I'd be regretting making an offer if you are already putting obstacles.
Yes you need to be happy, it's a two way street. But as a manager if be much happier with a cheery request for flexibility than a request to work 90 minutes less for the same pay.... It just comes across very differently IMO.

BusyLizzie61 · 29/03/2021 20:12

Would your child’s school be ok with you always being 18 mins late?
Please don't be obtuse.
You asked are you being unreasonable.
I have asked very pertinenent questions that I'd be asking of a new employee now quibbling over the working hours.
For most parents working those hours over 5 days would have more than sufficient time for school runs, unless they had a very significant commute. Hence the questions!
If this is your attitude it may not be long before you find yourself oissing off

BusyLizzie61 · 29/03/2021 20:14

Continued!
Pissing off your new employer and manager. I wouldn't like that attitude and think given you've been out of employment for 14 years, you're really not as in demand as you believe. You've been lucky. Appreciate it.

And I say that as someone who was a senior manager for decades before having my lo and then was a sahm. I too was lucky. But I most certainly didn't have that attitude you have...

Original poster
Salarymallory · 29/03/2021 20:26

Good news on the work front!

We have met in the middle on the salary increase
I said I wondered what the approach would be re flexibility to allow for an earlier start and shorter lunch but to leave earlier or do same amount of hours as advertised

“Absolutely, very common practise on my team”.

Really looking forward to starting now!

OP posts: