Do employers expect you to negotiate a salary?

[Kelemvor]

So I had a job interview last week and just got called and they made me an offer. When they asked the "salary" question I gave them the range that I was looking for. They said my range was a tad higher than they wanted to pay.

They made me the offer and said they were able to go above their normal range and offered me the bottom number of the range I had given them.

I have to review all the details this weekend and crunch the numbers to see how everything will come out.

So these days, when there are far more applicants than there are jobs, is it expected that you either take their offer or pass on the job, or do they still expect a reasonable amount of negotiation?

Granted they did hit the bottom number of my range, but I'd think if they really wanted me, they might have come up at least a tad over my bottom line.

Anyway, just looking for opinions as I figure out what to do.

I do have two other companies that I've had 2nd interviews with and both sound very eager to make me an offer so I have to contact them and see if either are ready to move things along. I'd rather have a couple to play against each other at the same time than take one and then renig on it a week later when offer #2 comes in.

I know it's great to even have an offer, but don't want to screw myself over. heh.

 

[SunnyD]

Do you want to pay more than the lowest end of what you're willing to buy?

 

[CountZero]

I don't know the right answer since every company is different. I don't think you should've given a range, I don't know why any company would offer more than the minimum of your range with maybe a little over to give the impression they tried.

If you are in school I'd tell them you are talking to other companies as well and you'd like to see how those interviews/offers go before committing. They know your range, they know they barely met it, they know if they have any room for higher pay. If you get a better offer they will know where they stand. Also remember salary isn't everything good bonus opps, 401k matching, cheap benefits or more vacation are all things to consider.

I don't know how common it is but I do know of at least one case where someone asked for $X, got it, then asked for >$X and the whole offer was dropped. This wasn't a new grad so that might be part of it as new grads aren't expected to be as professional and direct in their salary negotiations apparently.

 

[goog40]

Telling someone the lowest amount you're willing to accept...not the best negotiating tactic.

 

[crashtestdummy]

Yes, they expect you to negotiate, but they won't necessarily budge unless you have some leverage. The best thing to do is wait to respond until you have offer from the other companies. Even if you don't want to work at company B, tell A "I would love to work for you, but B have offered me X. Is is possible you guys could make your offer a bit more competitive?"

 

[mnewsham]

My mom was just let go two weeks ago, had an interview earlier this week, got a call and was asked her range, she was making 98.5k and said 90-100k, they met her in the middle. She was happy, they were happy. Win win i guess.

 

[Regs]

Really depends on how badly the hiring manager wants you. Most large organizations has HR set the pay scale, so the hiring manager and HR battle it out for you.

 

[TheNinja]

It depends. Usually they do. Some bosses are better than others. At my current place, my boss is a no nonsense guy and likes to get stuff done. He didn't want to dink around so he said $xxx amount is the top amount we are willing to pay without really asking my range. He said I could have come in lower and we could have gone back and forth with numbers, but I want to get this done now and avoid all the extra nonsense. Luckily it was above the range I was going to say anyway so I took it without much negotiating....I knew it was already the top dollar of what the were going to spend anyway.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Some do, some don't. Personally I prefer when they have a pay structure and it's cut and dry. I would hate to be making less money than someone else just because I'm not as good of a negotiator. It's not how it should work.

A proper unionized shop will have a pay structure though. You start at $20/hour and you will get increments until you hit $30/hour, for example.

 

[brianmanahan]

Some do, some don't. Personally I prefer when they have a pay structure and it's cut and dry. I would hate to be making less money than someone else just because I'm not as good of a negotiator. It's not how it should work.

A proper unionized shop will have a pay structure though. You start at $20/hour and you will get increments until you hit $30/hour, for example.

also at a union shop you wont actually have to do any work!

 

[rsd]

If its a professional job, I've never heard that it hurt to ask if the salary is negotiable. At worst if they truly are interested in you they'll just say no. I'm 2/2 for negotiating frankly and has increased my salary through my career quite a bit.

 

[InverseOfNeo]

I have been told they do expect it; but the one time I tried (in my relatively short work history), they rescinded the job offer! Live and learn I suppose.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Depends. Some don't b/c then they would have to go thru the whole approval process again which may include VPs and other higher-ups. They don't want to have to do that. Other's budget the salary for each of their positions and thus can negotiate up to what they have budgeted.

Pretty shitty that they offered you the bottom of your range. They should have at least offered you a little over that to reduce any animosity that you might develop.

 

[MovingTarget]

Salary negotiations in this economy? Only for some fields. Most fields out there today have a saturated job market. The only negotiation that most people can do is "take it or leave it".

 

[Kelemvor]

My mom was just let go two weeks ago, had an interview earlier this week, got a call and was asked her range, she was making 98.5k and said 90-100k, they met her in the middle. She was happy, they were happy. Win win i guess.

See and that's what I was thinking. I said 60 - 65k and they said they original range was a bit below that but they were able to come up to meet me at 60k.

I was also figuring they'd at least hit 61 or something to make it look like they didn't just want me for the least I was willing to accept.

 

[Fingolfin269]

If your range was 60-65k and they offered 60k then just take it. That's such a small variance is it worth the risk of not getting the job?

 

[UglyCasanova]

If your range was 60-65k and they offered 60k then just take it. That's such a small variance is it worth the risk of not getting the job?

Right. 60 > 0.

 

[ultimatebob]

Ask for an extra week of vacation instead. It's usually easier to negotiate than a salary bump... especially if they're only offering you a piddly two weeks to start.

 

[Sonikku]

Negotiate for more pay and negotiate hard.

If not to give yourself more money in life, then to give yourself a better chance of Defending Your Life when trying to get into heaven. I know this to be the case, for I have seen it in a movie recently and Hollywood would never lie to us.

 

[hans007]

the range thing is stupid.

i am usually just honest with them. last year i interviewed with some startup and i just said, look i am not even going to entertain taking this job unless its this much with some amount of stock. if you want to make it less stock or more money then that works too.

so their recruiters got annoyed at me and i just talked to the ceo and told him look i'm just going to level with you and he gave me an offer. i thought about it and said no anyway, and i actaully thanked him for giving the offer and he understood i just didnt feel right about it.

next place wa slike, how much do you want. and i said, look i like this job just give me a little more than i make now and i said how about X which was 5k more than i made and i knew they had better bonus plans and they gave it to me.

i think a lot of people like to be passive aggressive about it and make these sort of veiled vague statements hoping to company just makes a higher offer, and puts it on the company. and maybe sometimes that works out, but i'd rather just say what i have to say. i'm sure companies expect it though, a lot of people are passive aggressive, but you might as well just say the amount you want and be ready to walk. just like buying a car i guess.

 

[ultimatebob]

the range thing is stupid.

Yeah, the range thing is idiotic. If you tell an employer that your range is in between 60K and 90K, do you honestly expect them to offer anything more than 60K in the initial offer?

 

[CountZero]

See and that's what I was thinking. I said 60 - 65k and they said they original range was a bit below that but they were able to come up to meet me at 60k.

I was also figuring they'd at least hit 61 or something to make it look like they didn't just want me for the least I was willing to accept.

I would have as well but on the flip side you are a non-proven graduate. The other person was an experienced professional, the company has an incentive to ensure they stick around. A new grad isn't worth their new salary for quite a while and once they know your value you can negotiate for it.

Another consideration is that perhaps it is an HR vs manager deal. Maybe HR gave him a cap of 57k or something and the manager pulled to at least get into your range.

 

[Saint Nick]

I didn't negociate at all for the job I just applied for, but then again, I am barely a fit to what the job description was. So I thought they did pretty good on their offer and I took it.

 

[SlitheryDee]

To me, the fact that they hit anywhere in your range means that they want you. The fact is that you made a request and they essentially agreed to your terms.

You've won, but for some reason you thought they would pay you more than the minimum you will accept just from the kindness of their hearts or something. There is no good reason for them to do that, and you shouldn't be complaining since you asked for something and received exactly what you asked for. Forgive them for not also dancing in the streets for being lucky enough to hire you.

 

[Capt Caveman]

To me, the fact that they hit anywhere in your range means that they want you. The fact is that you made a request and they essentially agreed to your terms.

You've won, but for some reason you thought they would pay you more than the minimum you will accept just from the kindness of their hearts or something. There is no good reason for them to do that, and you shouldn't be complaining since you asked for something and received exactly what you asked for. Forgive them for not also dancing in the streets for being lucky enough to hire you.

If they had the budget to, giving him a little more than the minimum would make a huge difference in meeting the OP's expectations and a gesture that they really want the OP.