Is this cheeky ???

An Gaiscíoch

I've been working in my family business since I was knee high to a grasshopper and would be very experiened and well regarded by customers, staff etc. However I decided to have something of a career change which is more in line with my college degree. I have been offered a position by a very large and well known company. However the position I have been offered is slighlty less than the position I initially went for. I have been offered a salary that is approx 2k (plus I had my own transport) less than my current job.
The original role I had appiled for had a starting salary of just what I'm earning at the moment. Depending on experience it could up 5K.
Should I chance my arm and ask them would they willing to match my current salary because I feel taking a cutback is kinda giving my career progresison the whole one step forward two steps back idea. Would it be cheeky ?
Any feedback would be welcome

kc66

I took a drop in salary for the sake of the long term. Its no harm if it will be worth it eventually. I doubt they will just give you an extra 2k for asking.

An Gaiscíoch

Yeah. I dont want to ask and then when I start (if they say yes or not) I dont want them to be thinking "Oh that's the chap who wanted more money"
For example if there was a promotion somewhere down the line

Gurgle

An Gaisc&#237 wrote: »

ask them would they willing to match my current salary because I feel taking a cutback is kinda giving my career progresison the whole one step forward two steps back idea. Would it be cheeky ?

Cheeky?

The feckin cheek of them offering you a lower salary than you're already on. They want you to pay for the privilige of working for them ?

Yes, tell them your current salary and explain that while you would like a chance in career direction you did not intend the new direction to be backwards.

(though you should probably phrase it better)

-edit- just a thought, if you got the interview for the new job through a recruitment agent then bear in mind that the only time s/he isn't lying is when s/he is asleep.

JayV

In the interview, did they ask your current salary or what your salary expectations are?

An Gaiscíoch

I applied through Irish Jobs.ie. The employers contacted me and a member of their HR asked me a number of questions which included salary. In the interview, they recommended that the job I applied for was a bit too detailed for my experience so they asked me would be interested in being considered for that particular vacancy and I said that I was. A couple of days after they rang me and said they were offering me the job. That was the first point in which the salary of the position I was offered was mentioned. (I prob should have asked about it during the interview) I only received the contract yesterday and am due to start on monday. I dont want them to think that I think I'm better than other people in the company doing the same job as me and therefore should earn more than them.

An Gaiscíoch

JayV wrote:

In the interview, did they ask your current salary or what your salary expectations are?

Yes, a salary range was given and I told them what I would expect.

Gurgle

An Gaisc&#237 wrote: »

I dont want them to think that I think I'm better than other people in the company doing the same job as me and therefore should earn more than them.

Its not about being 'better', its about experience.

You have experience working in your family business, and even if its an entirely different type of business that experience is valuable both to you and to your new employer.

Your best, often only opportunity to negotiate your salary is now. Once you're there you can be put off forever with promises, tiny rises, mediocre bonuses etc.

If you don't push for it now you will never get it.

An Gaiscíoch

Well the new job is very customer service based. My current job is retail and customer service makes up 90% of my work. So should I ring them before I sign ???!!! You'll know the company.

JayV

Its not too late to bring it up, but the best time would have been when they made you the offer. Its always a difficult subject for people to discuss, so it's usually afterwards that you kick yourself for not saying anything. I would always advise people not to haggle over money unless they had been very clear from the start what their minimum is. Unless you're willing to walk away if they say "no", then I probably wouldn't bother. Who needs who more? Salary negotiation is a skill.... learn from it and move on.

Santa Claus

Remember that you're currently working in the family business so you may be getting paid more than someone who was doing that job and not related to the owners !

You could however say that your current employer has offered you 3k extra and say you want some time to consider it (they may come back and increase the money slightly).

Gurgle

Santa Claus wrote:

Remember that you're currently working in the family business so you may be getting paid more than someone who was doing that job and not related to the owners !

lol @ that tbh

Thats generally the opposite to how family businesses work.

leeroybrown

Gurgle wrote:

lol @ that tbh

Thats generally the opposite to how family businesses work.

Agreed. In my experience those who work for family businesses often work harder for less than they might get from another employer.

An Gaiscíoch

leeroybrown wrote:

Agreed. In my experience those who work for family businesses often work harder for less than they might get from another employer.

You've hit the nail on the head there . . .

Lplated

Gurgle wrote:

-edit- just a thought, if you got the interview for the new job through a recruitment agent then bear in mind that the only time s/he isn't lying is when s/he is asleep.

On the basis recruitment agents may sleep in beds, this may not be accurate.

andy1249

A bit late now , this should have been done on the initial offer , but the initial offer is just that , an opening bid or offer ,

No company actually expects to get you for the initial offer amount , and thats allowed for in the process , they would have expected you to ask for 1 or 2K more , and would have given you it or met you somewhere in the middle.

I take it you have accepted now , so its too late , but keep this in mind for future Jobs.

An Gaiscíoch

Well I haven't signed the contract yet but I was offered and without actually saying yes, it has been presumed that I will be starting on monday.

optiplexgx270

In my inverview for my current employer I pulled a face (i think) when told salary cos he said "What is there something wrong with that?". As i was about to just give in and agree to less than i was expecting i made a last second decision and told him the average was X and i was expecting that. He said "Well thats what we pay anyways." Got the call an hour later with an offer at the rate i told him

But it sounds a bit late for the OP

An Gaiscíoch

Hmmm. What to do. It's my own fault. Should have sorted it last week

The_Conductor

Personally- I took a fairly large paycut (about 20%) when I took my current job. I did however gain flexitime and a lot of family friendly leave options, that did not exist in my then job, and which I was willing to put a monetary value on.
5 years later I am now earning about 30% more than the person who stepped into my shoes when I resigned, and have much less stress in my life.

At the end of the day you have to accept that raw salary is not the sole measure of whether you should go for a job or not. If it is an area that you are genuinely interested in- you should reflect that in your expectations and be willing to horsetrade on certain points.

Salary is only one measure of job satisfaction.

nesf

smccarrick wrote:

Salary is only one measure of job satisfaction.

An extremely important point imho.

kjbsrah

Gurgle wrote:

Cheeky?

...Yes, tell them your current salary and explain that while you would like a chance in career direction you did not intend the new direction to be backwards.(though you should probably phrase it better)

-edit- just a thought, if you got the interview for the new job through a recruitment agent then bear in mind that the only time s/he isn't lying is when s/he is asleep.

I love this post - just wanted to say so .

You'll find most new jobs will try 'and pull a fast one' and offer at best to match your current salary. Myself, although i felt i knew my job very well and that i was very good at it, selling myself was always a problem for me. And as a result i changed jobs 2 times in 3 years and ended up on less than i was earning in my first one (if you can follow that :rolleyes: ). Now however, i would have to weigh up all the pros and cons of dropping my salary. But i guess thats experience for you!

DOLEMAN

If you haven't signed the contract why not ring them and be honest? If you go ahead and take their offer you'll prob never be happy...

Kinetic^

DOLEMAN wrote:

If you haven't signed the contract why not ring them and be honest? If you go ahead and take their offer you'll prob never be happy...

Yeah I hope you followed this advice.