Salary negotiation tactics...suggestions

[Rain Man]

We had a job candidate a while back who seemed promising, but we had a few concerns, chief among them being that she had held a "recreational job" for several years instead of pursuing a career. We asked her if she was really planning to concentrate on her career because we didn't want to compete with the recreational job (ski instructor). She assured us that she was ready to get to work. We had also informed her of our salary range.

So we make her an offer, and all seems well. Then out of the blue she comes back and says that she wants a salary that's way out of our salary range, 50% or more higher than her job offer. It was completely unrealistic. And then she informs us that she plans to keep her ski instructor job in addition to working for us, which essentially told us that she just wanted a paycheck from us and that she wasn't committed to a career with us.

I wasn't on the hiring team for that one, but our hiring team huddled over it and told her, "Thanks but no thanks." She had been in a near dead heat with another candidate, so we were going to go with the other candidate. She came sputtering back and said, "I was just negotiating with you. I'm ready to accept your offer."

I don't know who gave her advice, but it was really, really bad advice. We hate job negotiations to start with and tell people that we make the best offer we can and don't negotiate. We're not bluffing. But then to have someone come back and make a completely unreasonable salary demand that was out of the range we'd told her, and then also inform us that we're going to be second on her list of job priorities was a fatal mistake, particularly since it wasn't what she'd promised us in the interview. Our team pulled the job offer and moved on.

I actually felt kind of bad for her, but geez, get a clue.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

We had a job candidate a while back who seemed promising, but we had a few concerns, chief among them being that she had held a "recreational job" for several years instead of pursuing a career. We asked her if she was really planning to concentrate on her career because we didn't want to compete with the recreational job (ski instructor). She assured us that she was ready to get to work. We had also informed her of our salary range.

So we make her an offer, and all seems well. Then out of the blue she comes back and says that she wants a salary that's way out of our salary range, 50% or more higher than her job offer. It was completely unrealistic. And then she informs us that she plans to keep her ski instructor job in addition to working for us, which essentially told us that she just wanted a paycheck from us and that she wasn't committed to a career with us.

I wasn't on the hiring team for that one, but our hiring team huddled over it and told her, "Thanks but no thanks." She had been in a near dead heat with another candidate, so we were going to go with the other candidate. She came sputtering back and said, "I was just negotiating with you. I'm ready to accept your offer."

I don't know who gave her advice, but it was really, really bad advice. We hate job negotiations to start with and tell people that we make the best offer we can and don't negotiate. We're not bluffing. But then to have someone come back and make a completely unreasonable salary demand that was out of the range we'd told her, and then also inform us that we're going to be second on her list of job priorities was a fatal mistake, particularly since it wasn't what she'd promised us in the interview. Our team pulled the job offer and moved on.

I actually felt kind of bad for her, but geez, get a clue.

Haha that is horrible.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

We had a job candidate a while back who seemed promising, but we had a few concerns, chief among them being that she had held a "recreational job" for several years instead of pursuing a career. We asked her if she was really planning to concentrate on her career because we didn't want to compete with the recreational job (ski instructor). She assured us that she was ready to get to work. We had also informed her of our salary range.

So we make her an offer, and all seems well. Then out of the blue she comes back and says that she wants a salary that's way out of our salary range, 50% or more higher than her job offer. It was completely unrealistic. And then she informs us that she plans to keep her ski instructor job in addition to working for us, which essentially told us that she just wanted a paycheck from us and that she wasn't committed to a career with us.

I wasn't on the hiring team for that one, but our hiring team huddled over it and told her, "Thanks but no thanks." She had been in a near dead heat with another candidate, so we were going to go with the other candidate. She came sputtering back and said, "I was just negotiating with you. I'm ready to accept your offer."

I don't know who gave her advice, but it was really, really bad advice. We hate job negotiations to start with and tell people that we make the best offer we can and don't negotiate. We're not bluffing. But then to have someone come back and make a completely unreasonable salary demand that was out of the range we'd told her, and then also inform us that we're going to be second on her list of job priorities was a fatal mistake, particularly since it wasn't what she'd promised us in the interview. Our team pulled the job offer and moved on.

I actually felt kind of bad for her, but geez, get a clue.

You forgot the part where she said she wanted double our normal starting PTO rate if we wouldn't give her a raise so that she could take lots of time off in the winter to keep up the ski gig.

(In retrospect, I'm glad she mucked it all up. Our second choice has been great.)

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DaFace

You forgot the part where she said she wanted double our normal starting PTO rate if we wouldn't give her a raise so that she could take lots of time off in the winter to keep up the ski gig.

(In retrospect, I'm glad she mucked it all up. Our second choice has been great.)

I'm not even sure I heard about that part.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Yeah. I think you pretty much have to take the new job in that situation. Take the offer that was originally offered and hopefully it's greener pastures.

[ChiefRocka]

IMO, promotions and job transfers are the healthiest way to boost a salary. Unless of course you have a very unique talent.

[Predarat]

When the economy is decent walk away at least once. In this shitty state of the current economy all that will get you is a well.........bye.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Predarat

When the economy is decent walk away at least once. In this shitty state of the current economy all that will get you is a well.........bye.

Obviously not.

[wutamess]

what happened with this?

[BossChief]

Without reading the thread or even the OP...here are the two best ways to get a raise:

Go out and apply to every single business that does a similar thing as your specific job. Attend all interviews, even if you think the job won't pay as much as your current one with the intent of getting offered a job.

Once you get an offer for higher pay, go to your current employer and let them know you intend on bettering yourself by moving on to a higher paying position elsewhere, but that you really enjoy your current position. The only reason you are moving on is to make more money.

If you are valued at your current position and it wouldn't be cost effective to replace you, they will match whatever offer you were given.

2) go to school to learn a skilled trade and change professions.

Hope this helps.

[jspchief]

Don't you install cable for a living?

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by jspchief

Don't you install cable for a living?

If you're talking to me, the answer is no.