Elaine Varelas Discusses Non-flexible Job Offers
When you don't get what you want when negotiating a job offer - Elaine Varelas offers insight
Q: I’ve received an offer for a job I want. I tried negotiating for a higher salary, as I bring years of unique experience to the role, but I was told the comp was non-negotiable. I then asked about a sign-on bonus or accelerated compensation review—both were denied. I’m a little turned off by this inflexibility, but I also really want the job. Do I look like a pushover if I accept after getting nothing I asked for? Is this a bad sign about the company?A:
Good for you for trying to negotiate compensation, as long as it was based on the realities of the market and your expertise. The essence of negotiating is that sometimes you get what you want and sometimes you don’t. It sounds like this company has a stringent compensation structure, and they have determined the value of each job to the organization, regardless of who is in the role. You can be turned off and frustrated by the inflexibility, but if you want the job, and the compensation is in an acceptable range, don’t worry about looking like a pushover. If the job looks great and you know you’ll be a great employee, focus on letting them know how interested in and excited about the role you are. Most likely, the organization isn’t going to pay attention to your attempts to negotiate.
Is this a bad sign about the company? Maybe, maybe not. Yes, they have shown that starting comp is not a flexible item. But base salary isn’t the only thing to think about. What will the annual review process look like? What’s the average raise for a high-performing employee? Are yearly bonuses part of their comp? Is the company a government contractor and therefore subject to very strict bands? I encourage you to get more information about their compensation structure and pattern. If you see continued inflexibility about everything related to compensation, that may affect your decision to take the job. This company could have a one-year turnover for everybody in the role because they don’t give raises. This is the kind of thing you should probe for, and Glassdoor would be a great resource for that information—current and former employees will likely have posted their experiences with salary, bonuses, and raises at the company.
Another aspect of this is whether the company is already on the high end of comparable compensation for this role. What does the full long-term comp look like? Maybe they pay the most already or have the best benefits, and that’s why they won’t budge on starting comp. Companies make specific decisions about where to rank their starting comp—at the high, mid, or low end. Some absolutely don’t want to be the highest payer—they don’t want people coming to them just for the money, they want people coming for advancement and development, or because they have the best technology, or some other reason. They will call themselves a “strong follower” but not the leader in compensation. Most organizations plan their compensation policies very strategically.
It’s worth noting that you haven’t said that you’re actually unhappy with the comp they offered. You don’t need to negotiate just to negotiate. If you like the job and think the comp, benefits, and vacation time are good, then don’t feel like you have to show your power by negotiating. They may be saying the exact same thing about you, wondering if your pushback is a bad sign about you! Ultimately, you need to ask yourself “Can I work here? Are they this inflexible about everything and can I live with that?” Gather as much information as you can and decide from there, but don’t waste time worrying about unnecessary negotiations—and looking like a pushover should be the least of your worries.
