Job Offer: How do I renegotiate salary?

[bleedinora]

As the title really! I've been asked if I'd take a job where they're offering me £5K less than the highest advertised salary. The job is in management and my role involves restructuring, rebuilding what is currently an underperforming business. I really need the extra money (recently divorced and had to move into rented because abusive STBXH refused to move out, DC at nursery, etc.) and while it might be much to others, it would make a big difference in my life. I'm not really confident in standing up for myself in these kind of situations though- I usually accept jobs with gratitude only to learn that someone in the same role as me is earning £10K more than I am!

Can someone please help
Me with how to word the request for higher salary in an email? My mind has gone blank and I'm suddenly scared that if I ask for more, they'll ask me to stuff it and withdraw their offer :/

Are you currently employed? What's the benchmark in other companies? How many other candidates did they Interview?

The job is in management and my role involves restructuring, rebuilding what is currently an underperforming business.

Come on, OP - if you can do this job you are worth the extra money!

Was your current salary discussed at interview/since? Do you have plenty of experience?

Basically- you can’t ask for the extra £5K because you’re divorced and need the extra. Or because you’re disappointed not to be offered the highest band.

You need to prove you’re worth the higher rate.
So are you?

Yes, SE at present in a niche area. Luckily jobs are abundant but not many of us to go around. It was between me and another two people.

The role is heavy and would need a lot of input from me to get it off the ground. Dc currently attend nursery Pt but in order to take this job I'd have to increase their hours to FT so that's going to be an added expense.

@NoSquirrels

Basically- you can’t ask for the extra £5K because you’re divorced and need the extra. Or because you’re disappointed not to be offered the highest band.

You need to prove you’re worth the higher rate.
So are you?

I feel I am!
😂🙈

Can you word it in such a way as to make it sound like you are doing them a favour? I am sure they really need to reduce their gender pay gap.

It's an exciting opportunity and I'd take the job at the current salary but I want to ask for the maximum it was advertised at for the reasons mentioned above.

"Thank you for the offer of employment. I wouldn't really be looking to move for less than XX, is this something you're able to consider?"

Reply saying you are delighted that they have offered you the role and feel really excited at the challenge/feel you can bring real value to the business etc but that you are looking for a salary closer to £xxx. You look forward to hearing from them and would be happy to talk through in a meeting blah blah. You won't be the first to ask and they wont be shocked and horrified and retract their offer. Its a negotiation and expected!

You can do this!!! Good luck.

@milkytwilight

"Thank you for the offer of employment. I wouldn't really be looking to move for less than XX, is this something you're able to consider?"

I'm scared if I call their bluff like that, they might call mine and then I'll have to backtrack and say no I'll take the job anyway! 😂😭

I'd just mention it's not cost efficient at that rate because of nursery costs

Also, don't mention why you need to earn more - that's not their problem. Just state what you are looking for in a pleasant, positive and unapologetic way.

Remember that they are expecting you to negotiate.

@FoamyBanana

Reply saying you are delighted that they have offered you the role and feel really excited at the challenge/feel you can bring real value to the business etc but that you are looking for a salary closer to £xxx. You look forward to hearing from them and would be happy to talk through in a meeting blah blah. You won't be the first to ask and they wont be shocked and horrified and retract their offer. Its a negotiation and expected!

You can do this!!! Good luck.

Thank you for this. I've sent an email saying I'm really glad to have been made an offer but like to ask a few questions before accepting. I've asked the manager to call me. Should I send another email with the above as suggested or wait until I've spoken to them? Argh, I should've resisted the urge to email them...

@Seainasive

Remember that they are expecting you to negotiate.

Are they? I need/want this job and am suddenly really panicky that they might see that and tell me to do one at my request for the extra £5k...

I have had lots of people ask me for more money on offer of employment over the years. I dont take it personally, I also dont care why they need to earn more. I think its much more professional to just state the salary you are looking for without adding a load of extra info on whether you might not take the job, or might have to pay more for nursery. Men do not generally approach negotiations like this and neither should we. Ask for what you want in a non aggressive way and see what happens!

@bleedinora

It's an exciting opportunity and I'd take the job at the current salary but I want to ask for the maximum it was advertised at for the reasons mentioned above.

Then write that!

Dear X, I’m delighted to get the offer and I’m looking forward to the challenge. As discussed there is a lot of improvement I feel I can deliver, and was looking for a higher salary to reflect the responsibility and the focus and experience I’ll bring to the company. I’d been expecting an offer based on the upper salary band advertised - could we discuss?

If you want to ask without closing the door to accepting at the offered rate, say something like 'could you confirm if there is any room for negotiation on salary? I was hoping for a little more, based on xyz experience, qualifications etc'.

Then they can say no, we offer x take it or leave it or they might ask you to state an expectation and you can agree something in the middle.

They want you to do the job.
They’ve made an offer.
You negotiate based on your experience and value - not your personal circumstances which you 100% should not bring into this.

Come on! If you can do this job you can handle this, of course you can. Woman up!

Stay calm and when you talk to the manager be really positive and say how delighted you are but state that you are looking for a salary closer to £x. Thats it. No bumbling or apologising, just state the salary you'd like. They will already know if they can increase it I'm sure. They will either say 'we can't go any higher' or 'let me have a discussion at this end and get back to you' - they wont tell you they no longer want you!

I am cheering you on from my sofa by the way!!

Women not negotiating pay is a leading cause of gender pay gap. Don't make it about your circumstances (nursery etc), couch it in terms of salary commensurate with my skills and experience. This is the pay that is going to be the benchmark for your wage increases for as long as you're in this job, so it's really worth negotiating - they'll be expecting it.

Remember that you can end up better off if you haggle for a better employer contribution to your pension (it costs them less and you can change your contribution so that you get it as cash each month).

Another email sent!

I applied for a job years ago on the basis that they would pay me the highest amount advertised because thats what i was already earning - they offered me the job but when the paperwork arrived HR were offering me the lower amount. I spoke to the person who had interviewed me and explained that i had verbally accepted the job based on the higher amount - which he had said shouldnt be a problem - and he spoke to HR who upped the offer accordingly.

If you dont ask you dont get.

UPDATE: THEY'VE AGREED!!!