Negotiating job offer

[shuffleofftobuffalo]

Looking for some hints and tips….. I’ve worked in the civil service for donkey’s years so I’m used to just changing jobs per the CS rules, nothing negotiable etc etc you might get a new contract if you’re lucky, you just agree a start date and turn up then.

New job is private sector - already sorted salary as they offered my ask. But just wanted to know what else I should consider before accepting. Can I ask for other things? I’m losing quite a lot of a/l for instance is that the kind of thing I can negotiate? If I want flexible working/compressed hours etc do I get that put in my contract? What’s the right time to hand in my notice, presumably once I have contract in hand?

This is whole new world! Thanks all.

I’d ask to see a copy of the employment contract, that will outline the current position on all these things. You can then negotiate from there on anything you want to change, e.g. flex working, more leave etc. In future I’d negotiate the salary as part of that, as it’s an important part of the negotiation (although you can probably still negotiate this as part of the contract, but will be harder now they know what you’ll accept).

once you have an offer it’s the ideal time to negotiate!

Consider whether they might offer:

flexible working
free car parking
additional holiday days
different working hours

some companies give you the ability to pick and choose the benefits most important to you.

don’t resign until you have everything agreed and in your contract

Things that are important to me are:
Annual leave allowance
Pension
Company sick pay (probably not negotiable)
Insurances - death/illness in service benefits
Flexible working

Don't hand in your notice until you have a contract and start date from your new employer.

Private sector often has worse extras than CS, so make sure the whole package works for you.

For example, if CS gives you 25% pension and new job only 10%, then a 15% pay rise would just offset it and wouldn't be a real terms pay rise.

Thanks all! Really useful, I shall ask for a copy of the contract tomorrow and see what they’ll do on the extra bits I’d like.

I factored in the total CS package pension/pay wise when I made my salary ask and made sure it’s a decent chunk more overall plus bonus on top.