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AIBU?

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Original poster

Fantastic new job opportunity but very uncomfortable with pay WWYD?

158 replies

Exemochick · 02/07/2021 06:58

This week I have interviewed for a fantastic new role that I am really excited about. It is a job that is relevant to my field but in a different area that requires my specific expertise so really a bit of a career change. I have met the team, everything seems great apart from the salary. I am expecting to take a bit of a paycut as I am new to this area but I will be paid 14k less per year than I was getting in my old role, the same amount I was making as a new graduate years ago. I have tried to negotiate the salary but with little leniency as apparently it wouldn't be fair to others who previously have started on the same amount. I am absolutely torn about what to do because on one hand I don't want to let this opportunity go but I'm very concerned about getting into debt and not being able to afford the lifestyle I am accustomed to every month. What would you do?

OP posts:
Zilla1 · 02/07/2021 08:34

I like the ladder analogy. Do you have the evidence to be reasonably confident this ladder will be better and lead to a higher destination? As the recent PP said, you might end up rebasing your evidence of starting salary down to new employers by £14k.

Fairyliz · 02/07/2021 08:39

If you are moving out of London then salaries are going to be a lot less elsewhere. Eg where I live the starting salaries for graduates are in the £18 - £20k range. It appears London based graduates get £25k+

Honey12346 · 02/07/2021 08:39

Don't take it. They need to pay you what you're worth, when they realize they can't get someone of your expertise on that salary they will wise up. I bet they would pay a man the amount he asked

Feelinghothothottoday · 02/07/2021 08:40

@drpet49

You can’t really compare contracting wage to a permanent, salaried role
This. Completely different.
Zilla1 · 02/07/2021 08:44

True but expecting someone with 14 year's experience to take a new graduate's starting salary (depending on the detail of sector and London-weighting) is a heroic negotiating expectation too. Some sectors (retail shop floor, care) have unsatisfactory flat pay structures and there is the contractor v permanent dimension so it's difficult to be certain.

Beautiful3 · 02/07/2021 08:48

Depends really how much. That cut from 50,000 + would be okay but not from 30,000.

HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 02/07/2021 08:51

It sounds like they're offering a fair/market rate. £14k seems fair for a cheaper area plus a change from contracting to permanent.

But their attitude worries me. Your pay shouldn't be linked to your colleagues.

They've said you could get an increase after probation so asked for an agreed increase to be written into your contract.

NettleTea · 02/07/2021 08:52

A starting salary for a graduate also takes into account that they have no experience of working in a business, ANY business. Business experience and personal relations skills are learned on the hoof, and OP has years of that already under her belt, even if in a different, and yet related, sphere. That is what sets her above her colleagues starting salary.

mullmara · 02/07/2021 08:53

You can’t really compare contracting wage to a permanent, salaried role

Agree

user1497787065 · 02/07/2021 08:54

It also depends on the area in which you now live. If you are currently in London or the Home Counties your salary is probably commensurate with the area. If you are moving to a more rural area the drop in salary may be something you will have to bear.

user1471538283 · 02/07/2021 08:57

Nothing was possess me to take a 14k paydrop unless I was unemployed and had to get something to keep the wolf from the door. I think the employer is trying it on. You know your worth.

jb7445 · 02/07/2021 09:00

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

dreamingbohemian · 02/07/2021 09:01

It depends what you mean by 'lifestyle I'm accustomed to'. Do you mean you couldn't afford to pay rent and feed your kids or you'll have to cut back on designer gear and holidays?

daisypond · 02/07/2021 09:02

Take the job. A friend of mine has just accepted a job with a 14k pay cut compared to his last job - 39k down to 25k in London. He was delighted to get a permanent job as he’d been unemployed for a year while doing contract work. In my field, contractors/freelancers earn less than permanent staff, so staff jobs are highly sought after.

YeokensYegg · 02/07/2021 09:04

Sounds like they want your skills but don't want to pay for it.

Not fair to the others. Nonsense they'd never say to a man.
Potential raise in 6 months. More nonsense that means nothing.

Find out what others with your years of experience and skill are being paid.

Standrewsschool · 02/07/2021 09:04

What’s the pay like compared to the going rate for that job? If it’s on par for the local area, then take it. If it’s a lot less than the going rate, then don’t, unless you need the job badly.

OrangeBlossomMacaron · 02/07/2021 09:04

You can’t really compare contracting wage to a permanent, salaried role

Absolutely this.

My friend is a contractor, she gets paid a lot of money per day, a staggering amount in fact considering she has no qualifications, she has been offered permanent roles a few times, she always turns them down as the salary has been in the region of 40-50k, a hell of a lot less than she takes home as a contractor.

crimsonlake · 02/07/2021 09:05

Have you actually been offered the job?
As a contractor I am assuming your salary is irregular, this job is permanent, I would take it in the interim.
I was a supply teacher on a reasonable daily rate, over the years the work started to become more and more sporadic. Eventually I found a permanent job out of my field. In terms of daily rate it is about half what I used to earn and initially I found that difficult to accept. However it is a regular monthly salary and permanent.

BillMasen · 02/07/2021 09:06

I think a lot of people are not seeing that you’re currently a contractor, or don’t understand how contracting works

That cut (in salary) between a contract and a perm role is normal. In fact it’s not bad ime

Contracting pays well but has no security, and also none of the other benefits like sick pay, pension etc. I suspect if you look at the package the gap is smaller

I did a similar move a while back. A lot more than 14k difference but you’re not comparing like with like

jb7445 · 02/07/2021 09:06

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

bigbaggyeyes · 02/07/2021 09:07

It all boils down to if you can afford to live on the salary or not.

Contractors (certainly in my field), get paid a very high daily rate, which me a few go to a perm position as it would mean a large loss in earnings. However you also have to take into account the benefits you'd get by being in a perm position and what that's worth.

I took a 19k pay cut a few years ago and I've never been happier in my job. I love the company, my colleagues and my job. But I can afford to do that which means I'm not stressing about paying the bills each month either

Blossomtoes · 02/07/2021 09:08

Exactly. If the opening post had said "I'm currently a contractor", the answers would have been very different. £14k cut is bugger all going from contractor to perm.If I was contracting doing my current role, I'd have to take way more than a £14k pay cut to do the role as a perm.

This. When I moved from perm to contracting my pay increased by 50% - a lot more than £14k. Once you’ve factored in paid holiday (that’s six weeks more pay) and sick leave, not to mention tax and NI, it looks much better.

NewlyGranny · 02/07/2021 09:12

Do what the typical male would do: ignore the salary, forget other people in the role, tell them you want the job and state the exact salary you will do it for. The next man in will.

How will you feel when they hire him to do the same job at a higher salary? Actually, you won't even know unless someone is indiscreet.

If they don't hire you, tell them to keep your contact details in case they think better of it, and proceed to find a post you love with an employer who values you properly.

2bazookas · 02/07/2021 09:14

@Zilla1

True but expecting someone with 14 year's experience to take a new graduate's starting salary (depending on the detail of sector and London-weighting) is a heroic negotiating expectation too. Some sectors (retail shop floor, care) have unsatisfactory flat pay structures and there is the contractor v permanent dimension so it's difficult to be certain.
She hasn'#t mentioned 14 years experience.

14 K is the paycut from contracting in an expensive area, to employment in a cheaper area.

Employers pay NI and pension contributions, holiday and sick pay, and the cost of their premises etc.

An "expensive area".. city... has more employment.work opportinities than a cheaper one |( smaller town in regions?) and OP says the job itself is exciting. To have an enticing opportunity in a new area is gold dust; she should grab it and see how it goes.

IF that's a reasonable wage in that area, then if she has to find another job no employer is going to question why she earns less. ANY employment looks better on the CV than a long gap.
"Hm, why did you take a big pay cut and leave after 6 months? ? "
" We had just moved to the area and it promised to be an exciting opportunity that would widen my expertise. A promised pay review didn't materialise but it was a great chance to expand my field. Now I'm ready to consolidate my previous and new experience and put it to good use; as you can see from my CV years as a contractor, I'm an ambitious go-getter ".

mindutopia · 02/07/2021 09:16

Have you moved from, say, London to an area where you wouldn't find salaries similar to salaries where you used to live? What are salaries for similar roles in that area? Would it cost you more to commute back to where you used to live for a permanent role there (if you could find one)?

For example, I work in London. I don't live in London (live quite far away, long commute, some wfh - obviously in non-pandemic times). The salary I get in London is significantly more than anything I'd make close to my home, if I could even find a job here. I'm also in a very niche field. There's a reason why I don't work locally and the commute is very worth it for the money and the career progression.

But I think it is different if they are paying less than similar roles in the same area. Also, contracting will almost always pay more, but as you know, less stable work. If it sounds like to be expected for where you live and you may need to make some choices about what's more important - permanent vs. contracting, money vs. short commute, etc.