How to ask for more $$$

LegacyUser

So I have been offered a job...yay for me and tbh the benefits are great with some nice little perks and in truth not only do I need this job it's also sounds like a great place to work.

The problem if you could call it that is the money, when I went for it they said salary was negotiable and now that I have got it they have offered me the lowest point of the salary (25k pa) tbh I think I am worth a bit more then that and was hoping the get folks on boards could help how one could go about asking for me or should one simply shut up and be happy with what they have been offered

Benefits incl 25 days hols, VHI, Pension etc so I have to take that into account I suppose

davo10

Op, you have to consider what the market is paying right now and if your employer can employ another person at that rate. That being said, if they said pay is "negotiable" then their offer may just be their opening offer and you should now counter that with a request for a higher wage. You have nothing to lose so go for it.

Clampdown

Why do you think you are worth more? Not being snide, I'm asking because the answer to that is the answer to how you approach asking, ie: I have x amount of experience, so I think I'm worth y.

LegacyUser

Clampdown wrote: »

Why do you think you are worth more? Not being snide, I'm asking because the answer to that is the answer to how you approach asking, ie: I have x amount of experience, so I think I'm worth y.

It's a niche enough market they are in and I would have over 5 years experience, having said that it's not nice enough for them not to have more options.

I should also point out when I say I think I am worth more I am talking about an extra 1-2k pa so would not be looking for a whole lot more

Irish_Elect_Eng

I have been on the other side of the question several times.

What you think you are worth is not a factor, getting more money is all about what the company thinks that your work in worth to them.

If you are genuinely worth more, the you need to express that clearly in a way that shows the employer how you will bring a greater benefit to the business than a lesser candidate, what is it that they are getting that is worth paying more for.

Is it your depth of experience? A valuable skill? key knowledge?

Remember, you are an untried risk, you may work out, you may not. For one hire that wanted a higher starting salary I agreed that he could have the higher salary if he met his goals at the end of year one, which we put in his contract. He did and I was happy, he got his contracted raise and a little more.

In another situation, a hire that I wanted, as he has impressed at the interview, made a case for a greater salary, based on his previous salary and the fact that he had just started a family. He knew exactly how much he needed to live comfortably and I wanted to keep him long term. He gave me the information I needed to argue a modest increase in the starting salary with HR/Finance.

On the other side, I did once hire a engineer that wowed me at interview, went out on a limb and got him a salary on the top limit and he was a real turkey, could not work with others, we released him after his probation period. HR remind me of him from time to time.

Professor Moriarty

Anom29 wrote: »

So I have been offered a job...yay for me and tbh the benefits are great with some nice little perks and in truth not only do I need this job it's also sounds like a great place to work.

The problem if you could call it that is the money, when I went for it they said salary was negotiable and now that I have got it they have offered me the lowest point of the salary (25k pa) tbh I think I am worth a bit more then that and was hoping the get folks on boards could help how one could go about asking for me or should one simply shut up and be happy with what they have been offered

Benefits incl 25 days hols, VHI, Pension etc so I have to take that into account I suppose

Say that you are delighted with the offer but that you were hoping for a little more than the 25k. Note that the pay scale was 'negotiable' so you need to negotiate.

If they ask what you're looking for, asking for 10% more than they're offering won't scare them. Remember to emphasise that you're delighted to be offered the job (you may or may not decide to say you'll take it before asking for more money),

Also, they might have more respect for you if you ask for what you think you are worth. If they refuse, then no harm done as the pay was advertised as negotiable.

liam7831

25 K that's a joke you would be better off on the social

I'd tell um shove it up their ... Jumper

LegacyUser

liam7831 wrote: »

25 K that's a joke you would be better off on the social

I'd tell um shove it up their ... Jumper

I know 25k pa is not much to some but to me it's a lifeline,

Social is what 10k pa and OK you can also get a medical card and rent allowance but for me just going out to work and knowing at the end of the month if I want to treat myself then I have worked for it means more then the £££

Plus VHI, Pension,25 days holidays, free lunches oh and a 2 week all expenses paid trip to USA makes it better.

davo10

liam7831 wrote: »

25 K that's a joke you would be better off on the social

I'd tell um shove it up their ... Jumper

Wow.

judeboy101

Anon29 wrote: »

I know 25k pa is not much to some but to me it's a lifeline,

Social is what 10k pa and OK you can also get a medical card and rent allowance but for me just going out to work and knowing at the end of the month if I want to treat myself then I have worked for it means more then the £££

Plus VHI, Pension,25 days holidays, free lunches oh and a 2 week all expenses paid trip to USA makes it better.

But on the SW you can stay in bed all day watching Jeremy Kyle and binging GOT, AND have your 2 weeks in the US!!!

bmwguy

Just to give you some perspective

VHI 1k
Pension, depends on their contributions but probably worth at least 1k
Free lunches @ 5 Euro a day is 1k
Trip to America 1k

So your overall package is close to 30k, if you think that is fair then don't turn it down

liam7831

Anon29 wrote: »

I know 25k pa is not much to some but to me it's a lifeline,

Social is what 10k pa and OK you can also get a medical card and rent allowance but for me just going out to work and knowing at the end of the month if I want to treat myself then I have worked for it means more then the £££

Plus VHI, Pension,25 days holidays, free lunches oh and a 2 week all expenses paid trip to USA makes it better.

Is it a trip with work colleagues on work, if it is I'd pay 2k not to go !

ishotjr2

I think what you have said "I think I am worth a bit more then that" is a great opener. If money is important to you, you have to learn to negotiate and understand that it is a skill you need to learn, and this is right time to start. Let your potential employer know you are serious.

They want you motivated and they want someone able to negotiate.

Anom29

Anom29 wrote: »

........... they have offered me the lowest point of the salary (25k pa) tbh I think I am worth a bit more then that..............

Congratulations on the job.

Best time to negotiate is now, don't hope they'll bump up the salary after a year or so. Tell them you expected to be offered more than the lowest point on the salary due to what you're bringing to the role (there is no one better shortlisted if you are getting the offer). They'll offer more I'm sure.

Mrs OBumble

Mr.S wrote: »

Sorry just noticed you said you where looking for 1-2k more - I wouldn't bother personally, if you get the increase to 27k, that's a extra of around €120 per month after tax. Would you want to risk the job offer over €120pm?

At that salary level, 120 per month is quite a bit.

I think it's possible to ask for it without risking the job offer.

Say something like "I'm delighted to have been offered the job and excited about working for the company. But I was hoping for a salary of between 26-28k. So really I'm wondering if there's any room for movement?"

Then if they say "sorry, no room to move" you can choose whether to accept 25k or not.

I've done this with most jobs I've been offered, unless there are exceptional circumstances (eg in 2011 when the IT market was just coming back to life after the recession). I assume that in most cases they don't expect me to accept the initial offer, and do expect me to look for more. I know that's what I expect when I'm hiring.

liam7831

Their riding you, say you wouldn't get out of bed for that sort of bread ...

retalivity

Also 25 days hols is more than most places which is normally 20-21. So thats an added benefit as well of a few hundred euros.

Id agree with the earlier poster, raise the possibility of an increase (reasonably - thr example above was good) and see what they say - they will not immediately discount you and move on to the next person, worst case you'll get a take it or leave it offer and then its up to you to decide...

LegacyUser

Thanks for all the feedback, so I bit the bullet and told them I was delighted with offer but was hoping for a little bit more salary due to my experience, they came back with an offer that after 6 months probation is up they will give an extra 1k PA and at the end of the year if I hit all my targets they will add a bonus plus look at another increase

893bet

Depends on what the job?

What does it normally pay? Is 25k the going rate?

Seems tame enough really.

Professor Moriarty

Anon29 wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback, so I bit the bullet and told them I was delighted with offer but was hoping for a little bit more salary due to my experience, they came back with an offer that after 6 months probation is up they will give an extra 1k PA and at the end of the year if I hit all my targets they will add a bonus plus look at another increase

Well done.

TimeToShine

893bet wrote: »

Depends on what the job?

What does it normally pay? Is 25k the going rate?

Seems tame enough really.

I wouldn't say that but it is pretty out of line with the benefits. I don't know of any company private or public in Ireland which offers new starters more than 27 days paid holidays never mind free health insurance - how someone earning near minimum wage got it I don't know.

LegacyUser

TimeToShine wrote: »

I wouldn't say that but it is pretty out of line with the benefits. I don't know of any company private or public in Ireland which offers new starters more than 27 days paid holidays never mind free health insurance - how someone earning near minimum wage got it I don't know.

It's 25 days holidays, health insurance, stock options and life insurance plus free lunches

I presume the reason they offer all of the above is because they are offering a low enough wage (if they did not offer the above I would have looked for closer to 30k)