Nervous about a job offer

oandmplus1 · March 2012

I got the call today to offer me a job I applied for recently. I looked over the benefits and the salary info and it is $5500 less a year than I currently make, which doesnt seem like a lot, but my DD requires a lot of medical expenses and every penny counts.

I asked if there was room for negotiation on the salary when she offered the job and the recruiter for the company said she would have to check and that i was based on my experience blah blah blah. I also asked if there was flexiblity in the schedule since I am salary to go to some of my DDs appointments (i mentioned I had mo problem coming in early / staying late to get the job done). Then I had to mention that I had made a vacation comittment already but was willing to take it off unpaid if I hadnt accrued enough PTO yet.

I am afraid I asked for too much and they make take back the offer. She said she didnt have an answer on salary yet and that she was checking with the hiring manager on the dates of my vacation.

What do you think? Did I blow it?

oandmplus1 · March 2012

Sorry about the grammar, bumping from my phone

2-Step · March 2012

No, job offers are a negotiation process. They should expect that you will come back with questions/terms that you might want met. They don't know if you are entertaining other offers and might want to make a comparison etc. Don't feel bad asking for what you want in the job negotiation process. It's easier to get it up front when they want to hire you then to go back and try to change it later because it doesn't work for you.

If they really want you they will do what they can I'm sure. I highly doubt they will pull the offer back, they might just tell you there is no room for negotiation and you can take it or leave it, but I doubt they would pull it back.

financialdiva · March 2012

I agree with PP and wanted to add that if they have already offered you a job, they are already committed to bringing you onto their team. Also, if they say no flexibility- don't you think you would want to know about this now vs 2 weeks after you start?

If the renege your offer for asking about how they treat Dr's appt for your LO, then you didn't want to work for them in the first place. ;-) GL!

NicoleD0516 · March 2012

First, congrats on the offer!! Is there a reason you would take a position that pays less than what you currently make?

They always expect you to negotiate. I would explain your reasons for needing the salary you asked for. Is the insurance more expensive than your current position? If so, that's a good reason to be asking for more than what they're offering.

Let us know how it goes!

sunflwra · March 2012

I'm the Recruiting Manager for my company and it's pretty rare that I would make an offer to someone that is less than what they currently make unless there are some seriously rare circumstances. They should have discussed money at some point in the process- at least what you were making or the range you are going for, so that they don't waste anyones time. That said, I think it's very fair for you to negotiate in this situation. It's true that the question on flex time, etc would be a red flag for me, but like PP said- it's best for you to know up front if that is an issue. It would usually take a lot for a company to rescind a job offer, so I think you're ok there. Now it's just on you to determine how you'll respond if they come back and say they can't up the offer. Your reasoning is fair so do what's best for you and your family. GL!

Want a personalized experience?

Nervous about a job offer

Re: Nervous about a job offer

Choose Another Board

Search Boards