Help with salary negotiations?

Question

I interviewed and they hinted I would be offered the job. Today the regional manager phone interviewed me and said a offer would be made. In the initial interview they told my the salary high is lower that what I make now. How can I get them to raise the offer? I want to take the job but I can't afford the pay cut. Any tips will be helpful.

Answer 1

I would be straight up about it and tell them that you really want to take the job but can't afford the salary loss from your current job.  Make sure to emphasize the pay cut from your current job rather than just asking them for more money - otherwise it will sound picky.  Just ask if it is possible to raise the salary closer to what you currently make.  They should be amenable to this, but ultimately you will have to judge how much of a loss it is worth to take the new job.  If they don't raise the salary, judge whether there are advancement opportunities and how long it will take to reach the desired pay.

Answer 2

You've already gotten two good answers.   It's important that you are their number one candidate as proven by an offer.   Typically employers will ask about your last compensation, bonus history, any other money you are leaving on the table to leave your current job and take this.    They want their offer to be in the ballpark of what you are expecting for a job with the level of skill and experience required assuming they want to offer something you will accept.  

And, money is not the only consideration. Fit is very important--is the culture, the dept and the people a situation where you will thrive? Other considerations are the commute, the relative value of benefits in terms of the value of company contributions to health care, retirement, and other programs, the job flexibility they are offering, opportunities for advancement, training, tuition aid, on the job learning opportunities.

Answer 3

You are offering a service at a price.  You don't have to worry about what the employer thinks.  

1.  Look at websites like salary.com or payscale.com and determine what  your job is worth in the the zip code or city where the job is

2.  Look at where your expectation is on the bell curve and decide whether you are asking a reasonable compensation

3.  take a look at the whole picture.  there may be benefits apart from the salary

4.  look at factors like driving distance and convenience

5.  come up with a number below which you will let the job go.  Never give a range like 75,000 to 85,000.  This will put your employer in the driving seat and get you a bad result.  Also it will confuse them really bad.

6. Ask your employer if there is any way they can bridge the difference, they may offer you a signing bonus

7.  help them make a decision by educating them.  be ready to walk away if you think you will get what you want elsewhere;  they may say no and continue their search.  if they don't find someone as good as you are, they will find the money to please you.

Good Luck