To ask for a higher starting rate?

[NotLikeTheOthers]

Got offered a job after first choice person couldn’t take it (for personal reasons). There was a salary range for the job and I was offered it at the lowest. The job doesn’t need specific skills/qualifications, let’s say it’s a strong/senior administrators role, which I can more than demonstrate. I do want the job, but feel like I should ask for above the lowest rate. Should I? How can I do it without sounding like an arse?

Thank them for offering you the role and request the top salary due to x reasons.

You can ask, but some organisations have a policy of appointing people at the lowest point on the scale unless there is a strong justification for putting them higher up. Typically, this means that they will only appoint higher if your current salary is at least the same as or higher than their lowest point on the scale. There is no harm to ask, though. Just say that you had been hoping to be appointed on a somewhat higher salary, to reflect your skills and experience, and ask if there is any room for flexibility on this. You have nothing to lose!!

Absolutely ask. I did in my last job and went in at the top of the pay band. Does mean I'm disappointed every year in the pay review though 😂!

Give a small amount of justification - especially if it's a pay cut from your old work to take this role. Look at the job competencies and where you feel you are particularly going to be above the the level required.

Keep it short!

Thank you for the offer. I’m looking something more along the lines of £xxxk to reflect the skills and experience I’m bringing to the role. Can we discuss on Tuesday morning?

Always ask! If it makes them change their mind about you, you don’t want to work for them. Men would ask- every time. Be brave. Thanks so much for the offer. I am looking for more money- is there anything you can do? It’s worth backing it up with reasons if you have them. They’ve decided they want you. Know your worth!

What's the difference between your current salary and lowest pint?
Do they know your current salary?
Can you demonstrate your have all essential and desirable criteria on the job description?
Are your qualifications higher than what they've asked, and could they be relevant

You've got to make a case as to why you're worth more than lowest sp

I wouldn’t say how much extra you want! Ask what they can do. Don’t limit them off the bat!

Definitely 100% ask for better money. It's dead simple. Just say, 'I'd love to take the job. I'm really keen to [show how you'd add value] But I can't accept the current pay offer.'

Say it that clearly. Not 'is there any wiggle room?' Or "I was hoping for...' With absolute certainty say, 'I can't justify anything less than... [and say the higher end of the pay scale - at least 1-2k more than what you'd actually accept.] They usually come back with a better offer. If they don't, then they are always going to be trying to keep you on at the lowest rate, which doesn't help your career progress anyway, so you are well rid. In the past I have then turned them down and sometimes they miraculously find the money.

I had this and explained why the higher rate was required. We met in the middle and had a salary review at 6 months written into my contract.

What's the difference between your current salary and lowest pint?
Do they know your current salary?
Can you demonstrate your have all essential and desirable criteria on the job description?
Are your qualifications higher than what they've asked, and could they be relevant

The OP's current salary is none of their business and she has already met the other criteria. That's why they've offered her the job.

The OP is now negotiating the rate for her skills and experience in this specific job. She has already indicated that she meets the criteria, so it is them to come up with an offer that is acceptable to her, and for her to have an idea in her own mind what she is willing to accept.

So now the OP has to decide on her negotiating tactics.

I agree that she shouldn't initially name her price - just say that the current offer (the lowest point on the scale) is not what she had in mind and let them come up with a different figure. She who blinks first loses!

[The] first choice person couldn’t take it (for personal reasons)

Of maybe she didn't accept because the salary was not what she expected? Having lost the number one candidate, the employer probably doesn't want to lose another one (unless they have another 3 or 4 people lined up and will just keep offering until they find someone mug enough to take the lower salary).

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.
The new job is not especially related to my current job and it’s quite an increase in hours - there’s no doubt that I’m better off with the new job. I do think I’m bringing age and experience to the job, although that’s hard to quantify. I don’t want to start on the wrong foot, but part of me a) doesn’t want to be second choice and b) doesn’t want to settle for the first offer. I’m probably going to take it anyway tbf, probably why I’m finding it hard to know whether to ask!

I don’t want to start on the wrong foot

You're not starting on the wrong foot! Quite the opposite - if you accept the lowest offer they might conclude that you'll always accept whatever is offered and you risk leaving yourself playing catch-up for the next rounds of pay offers.

It's a two-way agreement and they have led you to understand that there is a salary range between £X and £Y, but have so far only offered £X. If the salary was fixed at only £X, they could have said so, but you now know that they might pay up to £Y and should be finding out how and why you get an offer closer to that figure.

You are entitled to challenge their offer, just as they are entitled to attempt to hire you for the lowest salary that they can get away with.

@Havanananana thanks, I think I agree that it looks more assertive to say something. I’ll be replying by email so how do you think I could address it?

I’d definitely ask for more (in fact I did for my current role)

Definitely ask for more. I've done it before in a second interview - I upped my salary request by 15%, saying I'd misjudged the market and what I was now asking for was in line with my other interviews. They didn't bat an eyelid, just gave it to me.

As long as it’s the private sector and not, say, civil service, go for it.

In the civil service you have to go in at and then stay at, the bottom of the pay bracket.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing no you really don't - I went in at the top of the scale in my current role. It's discretionary.

Definitely ask. You'll regret it if you don't. They can only say no.

Go for it. You may find that once you are in, it’s hard to go up the salary banding without getting a promotion- that’s why frequently we see new people on higher salaries than existing staff for the same role. It’s crap, but that seems to be the way it is. Usually the mid-point of the scale is the market reference for the role, ie what the typical salary would be for the role. So you should aim for at least that point.

The only exception to this is are in public sector or similar roles where you start at the bottom but incrementally increase over time until you reach the top of the band.

I would phone and have a discussion rather than email.

There are several good tips already on the thread e.g. "I'd love to take the job. I'm really keen to [show how you'd add value] But I can't accept the current pay offer." (Or "The offer that you have sent is lower than I had been led to expect.")

If they begin to fob you off, ask what the criteria are for being paid the higher end of the scale.

E.g. - If they say, "The top end of the scale is paid to someone who has experience and success in the role" if you already have experience and achievements from previous roles, then obviously this should be pointed out at this stage. E.g. Management experience - "My last two roles have involved managing teams of 12-16 staff, so this is not a new area for me". [They should already know this from your applications and interview - that's why you've been offered an interview and the job]

If you want to take the risk, you could put a review into the negotiation "So if I demonstrate that I can successfully (manage/meet targets/etc) the salary can be reviewed at the end of six months?" but beware if after six months they "forget" this. (Get it written into the offer letter!)

I would only have this discussion in person or over the phone - that way you can choose your words carefully and match the tone of the other person. Emails can easily be misunderstood.

And get anything agreed to written down in the offer letter or email. If anything is missing, get back to them. "The three-month / six-month salary review that we agreed has not been included in the letter ..." and make sure that they update the letter.

Definitely ask. I learned my lesson many years ago when I got an entry level job and it took 3-4 years for my salary to catch up with what some other new-starts got just because they had had the balls to ask for more at the start.
I’ve changed roles several times since then and strangely I’ve never been refused the increase I wanted.
Good luck

It's a candidate's market. Definitely ask. Men do.

I've recruited more than 100 people across the years. I'd reckon about half of the men asked for a higher salary and I think maybe 1 woman asked.

If it’s private sector, get yourself on Glassdoor and look up average pay for the role. This is your start point. After this, as PP have mentioned it’s about detailing why you think you’re worth £x. I bring x experience, y experience, confident delivering x etc. Something like...

"I'm very excited about the xxx role and know that I'd be the right fit for the team. I'm also excited about your offer, and knowing that I'll bring a lot of value to the table based on xxxx experience that we discussed during the interviews, I'm wondering if we could explore a starting salary of Xxx. My market research showed that £x is the industry average for this area, and I'm confident that you'll be very happy with how much I can contribute to the team and department.

If it’s civil service as PP have mentioned it’s probably a non starter as you always start bottom of band!

In fact, ‘I’m wondering if we could explore’ is too soft, I’d go with ‘I am looking for a starting salary of £xxx‘