Offered new role- negotiating salary issues

RossMeath

Hi all,

I got offered a new role last week within quite a large company operating across the UK and ROI.

The turnaround time was extremely quick, I expressed interest on Tuesday and was contacted and interviewed within 2 days, with an offer coming in 2 hours after I interviewed.

It is a very niche field and qualifications they are looking for, so I think that stood in my favour. Throughout the process they had mentioned multiple times that they were looking for a quick turnaround as the role is badly required to be filled and I was informed they had interviewed a number of candidates over the past few weeks and failed to get what they were looking for.

When I was offered the role, the salary advertised was on a scale ranging from the lowest point to highest to a value of 10,000- this was denoted that it was dependent on qualifications and experience which I have a lot of each for.

However on a call offering the post, the manager mentioned that the scale was 5,000 from lowest to highest point and that if my salary I'm currently earning was higher than the 1st point of the scale I would have to provide proof of this. I was quite taken back by this at the time and wanted to discuss it further at the time but the manager had to take another call that came in.

Personally- I don't feel comfortable providing proof of earnings to a private company, as I don't feel it's their concern and I got the job based on my merit not on what I earned in my previous role.

Given the quick turnaround time that I experienced and the fact that they had mentioned multiple times that they were in need to fill the role urgently, how would you go about negotiating the highest salary possible? I am intending to ask for the highest point possible, as the job would involve a lot of hours and would be quite stressful- so I would need a good compensation in return.

If anyone has any tips or advice I'd appreciate it. All new to me!

Bass Reeves

Tell him the original salary indicated had a 10K spread. Explain to him that this is a different role to your previous role and that it requires more hours and stress. After that put the value you expect for you ability on the table. If you allow them to change the goal posts now you are f@@ked for evermore with them. If you have to walk away walk away.

If they want you enough they will pay up

Mrs OBumble

Is this genuinely a private company? Or is it a semi-state, or even a private sector company doing a government contract?

I'd read his comment as implying that any incoming person will start at the bottom of the scale, unless they can prove that something different should apply. Your dime really, whether you want to provide that proof - or indeed to work for such a company.

RossMeath

It's a private company but would carry out some government contracts.

I would have read into that also, but a friend of mine works for them in the same role and has said that he started in the middle of the salary range, as it's qualification/experience dependent- we would have the same experience and qualifications also

nutjobb

They need you urgently so your in the drivers seat. If you don't need the role, do not accept anything less than top of the scale.
I'm not sure about providing proof, seems like an unreasonable request for a niche role especially?

RossMeath

nutjobb wrote: »

They need you urgently so your in the drivers seat. If you don't need the role, do not accept anything less than top of the scale.
I'm not sure about providing proof, seems like an unreasonable request for a niche role especially?

I agree. I'm contacting them tomorrow and going to let them know I would have to be getting the top of the scale to consider the role. I don't feel comfortable sharing proof to be honest, not something i've ever heard of before. Don't understand how a private company think they can ask for pay details from previous employers- don't buy it for a second.

If they do insist, i'll be leaving them with the offer

Bass Reeves

The only thing that may have changed is that with the pandemic they right may be trying it on or are genuinely taking a more conservative attitude that a few weeks ago

blindsider

Private companies have no right to ask you for your current salary. TBH, I wonder how they can justify asking for this information, given the GDPR environment we all now operate in.

How could a company say that it NEEDS access to your private data, when it clearly doesn't.

I would look for top of the scale or very close to it - if not walk away if you can.

Green farmer

Be honest. Tell them what figure your feel you need to achieve in order for you to change from your current job. If it works for both parties on either side. If not, you can weight everything up and decide whether or not to change.

MyTax Ireland

I'd try talk through with them. If they're not willing to compromise on it you'd have to ask yourself is this a company you want to work for for a number of years?

Mrs OBumble

blindsider wrote: »

Private companies have no right to ask you for your current salary. TBH, I wonder how they can justify asking for this information, given the GDPR environment we all now operate in.

How could a company say that it NEEDS access to your private data, when it clearly doesn't.

They have every right to ask for data that is relevant to the question at hand. And your current salary is totally relevant, if you are career focussed.