Salary/hours negotiation - new job

[Merryoldgoat]

I have been asked to interview for a job. The salary and hours aren’t quite what I need.

Current job - fte salary £53k - actual salary £38.5k as I’m 0.725 fte

New job - £45k to £50k but full time - they don’t want to pay more than £50k.

I’m not interested in working full time right now for a variety of reasons but the job does look good and has a good benefit package.

Am I utterly insane to interview and, if they like me, try to negotiate the full time salary but for 4 days? I’d take £45k for 4 days…

Have you done it? Have you had candidates try it? I don’t know if I’m beyond cheeky or this is how stuff is.

YABU - this is a stupid idea

YANBU - they may say no but it’s worth a try if you’re successful at interview

If you want it and its good for your lifestyle go for the interview. If they like you enough and you want it they may be willing to negotiate. Good luck!

It's always worth asking.

Ok thanks - I mean, they may hate me! But it sounds like it’s not completely out of line.

Unless you’re VERY confident that you’re going to ace the interview and be “the” candidate they’ll fall over backwards to hire, then I’d be upfront with them.

That way they don’t feel like you’ve wasted their time if they absolutely can’t or won’t budge and you’ve not burned a bridge.

Is it £45,000-£50,000 starting salary based on experience or just £45,000-£50,000? Because if it doesn't say "starting salary based on experience" then that usually means they're expecting you to start on £45,000 anyway and work up to the £50,000. In that case, highly unlike you'd get what you're looking for. It completely depends on the job, the company and the role - some have far greater ability to be flexible on these things. You can only ask - but I wouldn't hold your breath, there's a lot of people job hunting out there and I'd expect you'd need to be exceptionally well suited for the role for them to swing that much.

Please tell them prior to your interview ref hours, I don't think a P/T request for 4-day is unreasonable but they will need time to discuss if this will work for client/business needs. Leave salary discussions until you have shown what you will bring to the role.

I've had it recently, role is full-time, we 2nd interviewed a candidate which after the interview stated that they wanted 3-days per week - several hours wasted.

Good luck!

Well you can ask...
But I would guess that if they've said they don't want to pay more than 50K if you are working all five days in the week then it's reasonable to assume they don't want to pay more than 40K if you're working four days. Wouldn't this be about the same as you already get, so you're not losing anything?

So you're asking for a full time equivalent salary of around £55k yes?

That's quite cheeky tbh (and I'm always pretty gung ho about negotiating), would you consider pro-rata £50k for a 4 day week? Or work full time but at home one day a week?

@PaterPower

I think that’s a good idea. I need to tell the recruiter what I think Monday morning.

@SesameOrangutan

Stating salary £45-50k doe - not that the role maxes out at £50k

I actually said what you did to the recruiter. The issue is that it’s an accounting role and most people who fit the spec are fully qual and want more money (£60k min). I’m not fully qualified but I’m very experienced so the recruiter really wants to put me forward. I got the impression it’s been a tricky one to fill.

I usually ask for over their advertised max and i still get plenty of interviews. I never use to do this (i was foolish and would try to price low to be competitive) but I was advised to do it once and it's worked out. Even if that is really their budget (it usually isn't) they can quite often find some more (either get more approved or move something around)... But in your case you're not even asking them to do that as you're asking for similar money but just 1 less day.

I would try it. If they like you then you have a shot at them doing it. It really depends on the employer.

Men get paid more in part because they seek to negotiate, more than women do. Don't let you end up being lower paid because you did not negotiate.

@titchy

Yes. I’m not really sure how it’s that cheeky since my current FTE is £53k - a £3k increase changing jobs is quite modest.

@Vikingintraining

I’m not really willing to take a drop in FTE salary which £50k would be. The commute is much longer and whilst there is some wfh the commute would be nearly 90 mins compared to 15 mins currently. Petrol would eat that up in no time.

I have decided to tell the recruiter on Monday that I would take the lower end salary but it needs to be 4 days.

You are all right about being up front and I’m not in any desperation to move so it’s no harm asking.

Thank you for the advice! I asked DH but he is hugely under confident with work stuff, especially salaries and negotiation.

I can’t work ft at present. My two boys have additional needs and I like the extra day for sorting their stuff.

I don’t think it’s cheeky - seems very normal to me. Maybe after first interview you can say that after learning about the role you’re confident you can deliver the KPIs in a 4 day a week role? Then keep salary negotiation seperate from that OR tell recruiter now that you’re looking for a 4 day role, interview on that basis and again keep salary negotiation separate in the next stage. I don’t think it’s cheeky at all and it’s also fine to ask for over what they’ve advertised - as long as it’s no actually a non profit they will be used to plenty of people negotiating on salary after the interview stage.

@Dogoodfeelgood

Thank you - that’s really good advice and very helpful.

They are commercial and very profitable.

@Merryoldgoat

I have decided to tell the recruiter on Monday that I would take the lower end salary but it needs to be 4 days.

You are all right about being up front and I’m not in any desperation to move so it’s no harm asking.

Thank you for the advice! I asked DH but he is hugely under confident with work stuff, especially salaries and negotiation.

Don’t tell the recruiter you’ll take the lower end salary! You’re removing your negotiating power for no reason. Say you’re looking for a 4 day role and will discuss salary after the interview and then go for the maximum amount you can. The fact is that most FT jobs can be done in 4 days anyway if you’re good with time management. Be the best candidate and they should be paying you at LEAST what you’re currently earning. Don’t take a pay cut. A man wouldn’t.

YANBU

One of my former colleagues (when I worked corporate role) negotiated compressed hours over 4days plus WFH two days.

So I would negotiate WFH as part of your package as well. Good luck

@Dogoodfeelgood I meant I’d take £45k actual but for 4 days so FTE is £56k ish - should I still not say?

You might be able to tell I’m not very good at this or used to doing it!! 🤣🤣

Also sorry I didn’t read that carefully, I see you’re not planning on taking a pay cut as currently 38k for 4 days so 45K for 4 days would be a raise. Go for it! Interview on 4 day basis, let them make the first offer and if it’s less than 45k, respond thanking them for their consideration but the minimum you will accept is 45k.

Thanks @NurseButtercup.

One thing that did concern me: he said they’re a fairly quiet team, no big personalities… whilst not one of those ‘I’m so bubbly, me’ twat, I’m definitely a strong character… 😬

Thanks @Dogoodfeelgood

I would only tell the recruiter the 4 day part initially and then leave the salary stuff until after interview, as it’s the hiring manager/HR and not the recruiter who is in charge of deciding your salary. So if they really like you post interview, you’ll be in a much better position to argue that you will meet all requirements of the role in 4 days, and minimum you’re seeking is 45k (or 56k FTE) as that is in line with your previous role, and the market. If you don’t ask you don’t get.

Ooooh! I’m excited! It’s been a hard year for everyone and I’ve been lucky work wise but with two autistic children the fun times can be few and far between, not that they aren’t my world.

If they're not happy to pay 60k for someone fully qualified to work full time I don't think they'll be happy with paying you what you'd like for 4 days either OP, just bear that in mind.

It might be hard to fill because the employer doesn't have realistic understanding 😕