Second Job Interview - Need Help!

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LTS3

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No official offer yet but I have this new email from HR: "Just a quick note to let you know that we completed your references today I am in the process of getting an offer letter approved to send out to you for review. Our CFO is traveling this week so replies have been a bit delayed but still hoping to get this out to you by the end of the week."

Is it too early to celebrate? I really need to see the offer letter and know how much they are willing to pay me. Still since I will be jobless in exactly one week, I'll take anything.

The supervisor was fake nice to me today. We had a team meeting and were going over scheduled vacation time for the month. She asked me if I had anything planned. I just looked at her and said no. Um, you're well aware that I'm taking a severance package and leaving in a week :angrywoman: Then at the meeting with HR she said she was sad to see me go and all this other BS :censored: :censored:

I told the team, well the two who were in. One person is on vacation so I can't tell her until next week. They weren't just shocked. It was like I dropped an earth shattering bomb on them:shocked::shocked:. They didn't ask too many questions why I was leaving. I just said that I was exploring other ways to take my career and it was time to leave the company and left it at that. I asked that they not say anything to anyone. The supervisor will take care of sending out the personnel update email to the department. The lab probably won't care anyways.
 

Winchester

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It sounds to me that you've got the position, if you want it. Still I never do any celebrating until I know.....for sure. I won't even say Congratulations! to you yet.
I am wishing you the very best of luck!
 
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LTS3

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Oh, I have the position:agree:. I'm just waiting for the official offer package. Then we'll see if I'll accept or not. HR is still waiting to get a sign off from the CFO before they can send me the package.
 

Kat0121

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Oh, I have the position:agree:. I'm just waiting for the official offer package. Then we'll see if I'll accept or not. HR is still waiting to get a sign off from the CFO before they can send me the package.
Congratulations!! Here's to many successful and happy years there! :beerchug:
 

AbbysMom

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I hope you get a good offer tomorrow and that this works out well for you. :crossfingers:
 
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LTS3

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I have the official offer :woohoo::woo:

The offered salary is low, $12K less than what I'm currently getting paid:ohwell: Keep in mind that the company is a brand new start up vs the big global billion dollar company I currently work for. I know what established companies pay for similar positions but not what a start up would pay. Can I still ask for a higher salary, maybe $5K more? Any tips on how to do that?? :help: But at the same time, would it be weird to ask for a salary that might be more than what the supervisor is getting?:paranoid: I'm in a very expensive area. I'm already finding daily expenses to be difficult on my current salary.

The overall package is pretty standard. Nothing fancy. I've been so spoiled with my current employer:paperbag:

Work hours are 9 to 5 but maybe that's negotiable for the position I would be taking :think: I prefer to start by 7 and leave at 3 to avoid rush hour and crowded busses. I assume weekends would be on a rotating schedule and that's OT pay.
 

neely

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I think it would be okay to ask for a slightly higher salary and say that you feel it is commensurate with your previous work experience.
I think it would definitely be awkward to ask for a salary above what your supervisor is making.
I understand that you may live in an area that is expensive but this is not your new employer's concern. However, since there is a reasonable difference between your previous salary and your new salary perhaps you could ask how long before your first evaluation or assessment. At that time it might be more diplomatic to ask for a raise.
I would approach the work hours by asking if they are set in stone or flexible.
Good luck! :goodluck:
 

Tobermory

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Congratulations, LTS3 LTS3 !

Yes, please negotiate on your salary. Now is the time. I understand that it might be uncomfortable, but you can do it. I interviewed hundreds of people throughout my career and offered dozens of people jobs. I never low-balled an offer because it wasn’t the right thing to do for the organization or for the potential new employee. And it would have negatively skewed my salaries among my staff. But I expected people to ask for more during salary negotiations, and I always left myself a little wiggle room to increase the offer.

I don’t know if you’re male or female, but I will add that typically women are less likely to negotiate than men...much less likely. I was the same way until I became more experienced and learned how to ask. You don’t ask, you don’t get. Every time I asked, I ended up with a better offer. I also knew the market, felt confident in my experience and skills, and asked for a reasonable amount.

Whether you’re a man or a woman, I encourage you to google the phrase “linkedin negotiate salary women.” There are several helpful articles on LinkedIn with examples of how to negotiate compensation. This one has some wording you might consider:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/salary-negotiation-women-brenda-bernstein. There’s also a Part 2 to her article.

One more thing. Keep your message simple and straightforward. Most of us babble when we’re nervous, and most of us are nervous talking about money. Think about your two or three key messages, and stick with them. Be comfortable with silence after you make your ask. The person on the receiving end needs some time to think.

Hope this helps. Good luck!
 

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CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! :yess::yess::yess::yess::yess::cheerleader::cheerleader::cheerleader:

Yes, you can try to negotiate a bit higher salary, but I would not count on getting it.

They do not want to pay you more than the supervisor or other techs... but you do have a ton of experience in the field.

I am sure they know the cost of living around here.
You can ask about when is the time frame for raises... that may be dependent on how well the company is doing.

Is this a contract job or employee at will? If contract you could have it in writing.

I would probably wait a bit before I ask to change the shifts. You do not want to be overly demanding, before you start working.

After a month or 2 of the 9-5, then I would ask about an earlier shift.

The kids are out of school right now, so the commute should be a bit easier; at least until September. It does pick up a bit in August.

Again,
CONGRATULATIONS! :rock::woo: :woohoo:
 

Tobermory

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Hmm, this process of compensation negotiation seems like such a delicate dance, doesn’t it...one where you’re not sure you know all of the steps!

Every field is different and every organization has a different culture. A new start up may not even have an established culture yet.

Here’s how I would (and did) perceive requests about salary, hours, and raises as the person making the offer.
  1. You thank me for the opportunity to work with you and the company, etc., and ask if I would consider a salary of x. I’m okay with that and will do what I can within my budget and salary structure.
  2. You ask about the possibility of flexible hours because you love to get a start on the day and it’s a great fit with your work style. I’m glad to know that upfront because even if I can’t accommodate you now, I’ll keep it in mind. But I may also be able to do it from Day 1.
  3. You ask me when you’ll be eligible for a raise. I don’t say it but I’m a little annoyed that you’re already thinking about more money rather than the work we do. (I know, but it’s different from asking for a higher salary than the one offered.) Better to ask how performance expectations are established and measured and how and when evaluations are done. That puts the focus on performance and the shared work.
  4. You don’t mention any of these things now, but you come to me two or three months after you start and ask. I’m taken aback because no matter how much you’ve already contributed to the organization, you’ve only been here a short while. I have people who a) have been here longer, b) have proven themselves over time, and c) would be justifiably ticked to see you getting special accommodation so early in your tenure with the organization. That’s a morale killer. It’s actually much easier for me to address it all upfront during the negotiation process.
So. Conflicting advice! :)
 
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LTS3

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I have no idea what the supervisor or the other tech are getting. It would be safe to assume that a supervisor is getting paid more than a tech. I kind of doubt the other tech has 15 years' experience.

I found a recent but now expired job posting. The salary by hourly rate is listed. The original one I saw and applied to did not have a salary listing. I've been offered a little more than the highest hourly rate listed. Can I still negotiate for a higher salary? Or is it not worth it because they are already offering more than what they are able / willing to pay?

I got a free counter offer template from a web site that has been featured on various well known web sites and news shows. Using the template is supposedly guaranteed to get a higher salary. Do these really work?
 

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I don't think anything is guaranteed, but I also don't think it will hurt if you ask for an increase in salary. It is very common to negotiate salary with a new job offer, and I don't think they will see it as a negative thing. I personally have been bad at negotiating anything (salary, raises, Comcast discounts). I tend to just not get good results.

If I were to accept the offer, I would mention my years of experience and that I am taking a paycut to come to that company (but I am excited to work there and it's a great opportunity blah blah). See what they say about asking for a bump. The template you attached looks really interesting, I'll have to bookmark that one for later.
 

Tobermory

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Did the offer come in the form of an email? And are you expected to email back? It would be so much better if you could talk to the person on the phone. That gives you the ability to continue to establish rapport. It's much easier to say "no" to a higher salary request in an email. (And I'd strongly encourage you never to start your email to a potential employer with "I hope you had a great weekend!" Ugh. Start by thanking them for the opportunity.)

Yes, I'd still respectfully request that they consider increasing the offer to x. And if you do have to make it in the form of an email, I'd make it shorter than the one in the template. People don't have the patience for lengthy emails any more. They've seen your résumé and talked to you in person where you had the chance to make your case for your value to them. They like what they see. Pick those qualifications that are absolutely mission-critical for them, and succinctly summarize them. Supervisors are busy. Hiring takes a huge amount of time. They're ready to get on with it. Hit the high points--whether it's on the phone or in an email.

I recently helped a small non-profit hire a new executive director. Some of the cover letters, résumés, interviews, and follow up communications from the applicants made me feel like I was in a trap from which I could not escape!
 
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LTS3

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Maybe they're low balling me because they know that many people don't bother to negotiate? If I can get about 10% more I would be happy.

I was emailed the offer. I asked for a few days to consider the offer and the HR person said it was fine. I'm no good on the phone:paperbag: I get tongued tied and lose my train of thought even if I have something written down in front of me:paperbag: How I even got past the phone interview I don't know:dunno:

Using the template I got with lots of edits:

I've been considering [name of company's] offer over the past few days and
everything sounds good, although I would like to discuss the base salary component.

I think I'm a particularly good match for this position, where I would add significant value to [Company name] and to the [lab] from Day One. I have a strong background and have [worked in X labs with a wide variety of ABC projects] for 15 years. I have a strong technical skills background and will be able to assist the lab with their studies. I am highly detail oriented and keep accurate concise records for regulatory and compliance purposes.

All of these qualities contribute directly to the core components of this particular position, and that's why I'm excited for the opportunity to work with [name of company]. Because I’ll be coming into this position with more than the requisite experience and skills, I was hoping for something in the range of [amount]. Is there any flexibility in that number?


Sound ok or does it need more edits? I kind of want to mention an award I got a few years ago from the internal compliance group for maintaining a specific lab space that had zero compliance issues. Or that if the company ever considers going for what is considered the "gold standard" of accreditation, I have plenty of experience working in accredited companies and know what the accreditation organization looks for when they do a walk through and scrutinize the program . Not sure where to put that, though, or if it would make any difference since HR likely has no idea what the position actually does or all the compliance and regulatory stuff involved.
 

Tobermory

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I like it! May I suggest a few edits? And I might be able to work in your other points without adding too many words. My degrees are in writing, journalism/PR and marketing so I have this urge to tweak! I’ve also done a lot of coaching and mentoring so I also have an urge to meddle. You won’t hurt my feelings if you say no.
 
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LTS3

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You can PM me.

Should I ask about flexible work hours in the same email? I don't want to come across as too demanding and have the offer rescinded:paranoid:
 
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