Ever lowball yourself on salary during an interview? **UPDATE**

[trmiv]

I went to an interview two weeks ago, and then was called back for a second yesterday. (BTW, I currently have a job, but I'm a contractor on a series of short-term contracts. before that I was a tech support engineer but got laid off) Unfortunetely in a fit of utter stupidity during my initial interview, when they asked me my salary expection I completely lowballed myself. Don't ask me why, I just did. It was stupid, and now I'm paying for it.

Anyway, I go to the second interview yesterday, and a job offer is made. The offer is at the lowball salary I indicated, with a 3 month probationary period at about 4 grand less a year than the full offer. The full salary is about the same as I'm making now as a contractor, but the probationary salary is significantly less than I make now. Basically, I can't even live on that amount.

Keep in mind it's the same type of job I used to do (technical support by phone and email for software) before I got laid off, but I was never really happy doing it. Doing phone and email based support is drudgery that I didn't want to do again, BUT this IS a permanent position instead of the uncertain contract work I do now. The company does seem like a cool place to work though.

So, where do I go from here? I think I pretty much screwed myself by undervaluing myself during the interview, and I'm never going to get to the level that I want. Or can I?

UPDATE 2/16

Well I made a counter offer. I made an offer much higher than I was willing to accept, hoping they would come down to exactly what I would accept. Well.........it worked!! They offered me what I was willing to take as a starting wage, and after the probationary period, it can go up to what I proposed.

 

[KillyKillall]

I would imagine you should walk away. If you make the same amount making your own hours basically as a contractor or what not, do it your way. Then seek elsewhere again and don't lowball yourself next time. Use a number you're comfortable with in bargaining and let them know you're up to negotiate.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

In my experience, it doesn't really matter. If you have skills and work ethic that promote your being in a higher paid or more responsible position, you'll get there. The farther down you start from, on the totem pole, the more you will have to be able to measure your success with and the more rewarding it will be when you get there. 🙂

 

[richardycc]

tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: richardycc
tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

This is what I'd do.

 

[KnickNut3]

Well, you have 2 choices:

1) Walk away.
2) Say you lowballed yourself and you want/need more money.

If they don't like 2), you're going to do 1), so I don't see the loss in trying.

Wording it so you look neither like an idiot or greedy will be tough, though.

EDIT: The "got a better offer" or "my current job pays more" are probably the best ways to put it, although the first may require proof, and the second may make reveal that you lowballed yourself.

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: richardycc
tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

He may have to provie proof though.

If nothing else, tell them you make more at your current job and would like to stay there unless they can offer more.

 

[KillyKillall]

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: richardycc
tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

He may have to provie proof though.

If nothing else, tell them you make more at your current job and would like to stay there unless they can offer more.

No one ever makes you provide proof. And if they did, I would just say that I didn't want to work for a company that didn't trust my integrity. 🙂

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: KillyKillall

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: richardycc
tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

He may have to provie proof though.

If nothing else, tell them you make more at your current job and would like to stay there unless they can offer more.

No one ever makes you provide proof. And if they did, I would just say that I didn't want to work for a company that didn't trust my integrity. 🙂

Yeah, while you LIE TO THEIR FACE about having another job interview that says they'll pay more?

:roll:

 

[Jpark]

Originally posted by: KillyKillall

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: richardycc
tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

He may have to provie proof though.

If nothing else, tell them you make more at your current job and would like to stay there unless they can offer more.

No one ever makes you provide proof. And if they did, I would just say that I didn't want to work for a company that didn't trust my integrity. 🙂

:thumbsup:

 

[Kelemvor]

Could always tell you that your current job just offered you a nice raise so you're reconsidering and ask if they'd go up to $xx,xxx/yr. Always helps to tell them that you are very interested in their company and the position but it's just too big of a salary gap to pass up.

 

[Viper GTS]

You can't live on a salary that's $4K less a year than you make now?

That's $333 a month pre-tax, maybe $250 take home. You might want to work on that.

Anyway, I would turn it down if it creates that big of a problem.

There are plenty of other companies to start over with.

Viper GTS

 

[trmiv]

I'm thinking indicating I make more at my current job, and then be willing to walk away is my best bet. Also the fact that I'm not particulary jazzed about the position should be a warning to myself. I want a job I can enjoy doing, not something that is going to make me dread going into work. But, like I mentioned, it seems like a cool place to work in general though, regardless of the position. They do a lot of fun stuff there it seems. But, fun work activitities don't pay my rent or buy food.

Hey at least this makes me realize that I should NEVER lowball myself in an interview. You can bet I won't make that mistake again.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: KillyKillall

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: richardycc
tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

He may have to provie proof though.

If nothing else, tell them you make more at your current job and would like to stay there unless they can offer more.

No one ever makes you provide proof. And if they did, I would just say that I didn't want to work for a company that didn't trust my integrity. 🙂

Bingo. That's just something that a responsible employer would never ask, and if they do... that's just creepy and their HR dept doesn't know what they're doing.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: KillyKillall

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: richardycc
tell them you've found another job with a higher pay, to see if they can match it, if not, stay at your current one. and chalk this off as a learning experience.

He may have to provie proof though.

If nothing else, tell them you make more at your current job and would like to stay there unless they can offer more.

No one ever makes you provide proof. And if they did, I would just say that I didn't want to work for a company that didn't trust my integrity. 🙂

Bingo. That's just something that a responsible employer would never ask, and if they do... that's just creepy and their HR dept doesn't know what they're doing.

So you would lie to them and tell them that you've got another job lined up that's prepared to pay you more, but you expect them to trust your "integrity"?

How stupid is that?

 

[Sentinel]

you don't owe them anything, so don't let that get in the way

 

[trmiv]

How long should I wait before responding?

One thing I didn't like is that their offer letter and email it was attached to was very presumtuous. They said my start date would be next Tuesday, and had a lot of stuff in there that made it sound like I had already accepted the offer. I made it clear during the interview that I needed time to think about it, and discuss it with my wife, but they sound like I already said yes.

 

[Yossarian]

I highballed myself once. As the interviews wore on I realized I didn't really want the job, so when they asked me what my salary requirements were I gave them a number 50% higher than my market value. I was out the door about 5 minutes later 😉

 

[jagec]

When they ask "How much are you willing to make", why would you lowball yourself? Do you think that if you say you can live on $100 a month, they are going to be nice and say "OK, you're hired for twice that"?

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: jagec
When they ask "How much are you willing to make", why would you lowball yourself? Do you think that if you say you can live on $100 a month, they are going to be nice and say "OK, you're hired for twice that"?

Probably programmed desperation from a long time of being jobless before I got my contracting gig. Like I said, it was stupid. The salary I told them is what I make now though.

 

[arcas]

You have 2 choices:

1) Accept the lowballed offer and make note to do your due dilligence before interviews in the future. Do some research and find out what the average salary is for a particular position and experience level. You can always negotiate downward but negotiating upward is going to prove difficult.

2) Tell these people that you've changed your mind.

I also disagree with the earlier poster about work ethic and skills leading to increased salary. Perhaps over the long term but don't expect an employer to pile raises on you unless they sense there's a real possibility that you'll resign to take a higher-paying position elsewhere. In today's environment, IT budgets are being squeezed already so there's an incentive not to dole out raises unless they're absolutely necessary.

 

[isasir]

Here's a suggestion a bit different.

If you do like the job and really want to take it, since it's a good opportunity, you should call them, admit you f'd up a bit with the salary, but man up to it and not ask for more. However, you get them to agree to review you in 6 months, and if you're doing a good job, see if they can increase your salary $X dollars.

 

[jjones]

Tell them you will not accept a probationary period at the reduced salary; the probationary period itself is fine, but not the reduced salary. If the full salary is still too low, then just tell them thanks, but no thanks, and keep looking.

 

[oog]

just say that the probationary salary is not acceptable and ask for the full amount as the probationary salary.

 

[cyclistca]

First yes I did. Happened when I came to work for the company I currently work for. After I accepted the job they asked me what I was expecting as my salary. I gave them an amount and they accepted it right away. Of course I found out after the company was desperate from my skill set and would have offered me a lot more. Well my loss. It did not hurt so bad for me as I still make a lot more then some of my co-workers.

BTW you should never give an actual number when asked about salary requirements until after you have been offered the job. If asked you should just say that you expect the salary to be competitive with the going rate for someone in that position with that level of responsibility.