Job offer

[Whattodonowadays]

Been sent an email offering me a job, the starting pay is less than i am on now. Is it ok to ask if they can offer more? Or would that make them think bad of me to start with? Thanks.

I am a manager and wouldn't mind at all if someone asked for more money, especially if they were earning more before. I can't always say yes, but I certainly don't think less of them for asking.

Did you know the salary before applying / interviewing? Has the salary been mentioned at all before? If you're not desperate for the job then worth a shot asking, depending on those questions.

If it's been clearly advertised as X throughout all parts of the process and you wait until that moment to ask it might not get the best reception though.

"That's great news, thanks so much. My current salary is 25k, and I was hoping to see an improvement in my next role, ideally in the £28-32k range. Is there some way we could get closer to that?"

(obviously adjust numbers accordingly)

You're in a negotiation. You absolutely should ask for the amount of money you feel would be a good amount of compensation. Generally you should ask for more than you're on now. I normally aim for 10% more minimum.

You should reply with something like "Thank you for your offer. That's wonderful news and I'd be very keen to join but unfortunately the package represents an overall drop in salary for me. I would love to take you up on the offer but would require <x> to be able to do that"

Do remember to consider the whole package at both organisations. Base pay, bonus, holiday, sickness, health insurance, pension, parental leave etc. Basically anything they offer that is of value to you.

It's the kind of thing I struggle to word though so in all honesty I'd probably get ChatGPT to help me out with the wording.

Congratulations either way OP!

Yes I was offered £26k for my last role, told them my childcare came to more than that (politely and in less blunt words), asked for £34 and got £32. Always worth asking if it wasn't advertised at a fixed salary.

What's the context. Have you had an interview, dis you know the salary beforehand?

Thank you for the replies. It said on the job ad from ? So I took that to mean there wasn’t really a set amount and would depend on experience etc. I did ask and they said that’s what they have offered for now and it will be reviewed after the probationary period.

I definitely ask. That's what men do.
I did it recently and got an extra 3k added on to the offer

Do you mean you've asked since you posted this and they've responded saying no but that they will review after probationary period?

I'd be quite dubious of this if I'm honest. Where's the incentive for them to pay more once you're in role?

I'd be tempted to pass on this particular opportunity unless there's much better long term career progression or if you're retraining or something.

Unless there's a good reason (e.g. moving industry, career progression) I wouldn't take it if they didn't at least match what I was on now. Depends how bothered you are but if you're on the fence about it, I'd try to walk away and you never know, they might up their game.

Depends how big the gaps are of course, if it was advertised as "from £18k" and you're looking for £30k and up then it's not going to work. But if it was advertised as from £28k and you're currently on £30k but were hoping for £32k, I'd think they're being lame if they don't at least go to £30k.

If they think bad of you then they are the wrong people.

I recently had to query an offer letter that was missing 6+ hours, glad I did as an errors had been made.

I let the 2p less per hour go but not total hours.

I wouldn’t take it for less than I’m on now, unless I was super unhappy and it was an otherwise amazing opportunity, or without a plan set out in my contract for increasing my salary after probation. From my experience, the salary you go in at is the salary you can get stuck on. You are in the strongest negotiation position currently. Much harder to get a pay rise once you’re in the role.

Hahaha. Your ability to negotiate is strongest now and not after your probation.

If you start a job feeling hard done by it's hard to adjust.

If they can afford to pay you properly after probation they can afford it now. Its just penny pinching.

But do check pension and full benefits so you're looking at the total package not just the cash element.