Job Offer Insultingly Low

sondra_finchley · #1 11-17-2006, 04:46 PM

Well, the slow as molasses company came back with an offer today of $48K for a marketing analyst position in Chicago. I almost fell over because the HR guy initially told me they started the position at $55K. I have 5 years of experience and a masters degree in economics and have spent the last three years busting my ass doing applied economics crap. He said it was because of my wage level the past few years as in, I got paid peanuts (roughly $30K a year but no benefits) but did the honorable thing and stayed where I was in order to get more experience and figure out what I wanted to do. I moved from a state with no income tax to one with income tax, so Im basically making the same amount as I was before, only living in a town with a higher cost of living.

Am I being irrational? Thinking about declining the job and taking my chances elsewhere. This feels worse than being outright rejected.

WorkInProgress · #2 11-17-2006, 04:48 PM

Can you go back with a counter offer rather than just declining? Do you need this job, or are there others to be considered?

wordsmith · #3 11-17-2006, 04:53 PM

The main reason I'm still living where I'm living (small town with low COL) instead of Chicago at this point is because of the difficulty of finding someplace in my field that will pay me a reasonable and deserved wage.

I know I'm going to run into the same thing whenever a place asks for a salary history...because I, too, have been working for a low, low wage (if yours is peanuts, mine is the shells of said peanuts) because a. I was paying my dues and getting experience and b. that's the way it goes with this line of work. However, I'm pretty afraid that this is going to make employers think that I'm not seeking/deserving of anything more, and it's not livable if I wanna be in the city.

However, since I was in the running for a position in Chicago that started at the amount you're talking about, and even at that rate, was considerably higher than I anticipated being offered, it IS possible that you're being a little unrealistic. Just my two cents, and obviously, the fields are different.

#4 11-17-2006, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WorkInProgress

Can you go back with a counter offer rather than just declining? Do you need this job, or are there others to be considered?

Yup, argue it. If you have the experience and skills to back it up, they should pay you more.

That is a pretty shitty salary for a job that requires 5 years experience and is in a high COL area.

sondra_finchley · #5 11-17-2006, 04:56 PM

I dont NEED the job, I have plenty in savings still, and I can go sling packages at UPS over the holidays on the early shift to make a little bit of cash if I really needed it, but that would be more just to have something to do (am still living with my parents about two hours north of the city). I asked about the offer being negotiable and it sounds like there is very little room for negotiation as they are hiring a second person for the position as well, hence the low offer.

The job would involve becoming the expert at their Siebel/CRM software and running both some monthly standard metrics and specialized research projects on their customer base. I really wouldnt have stayed in the running for the position if I had known it was going to pay less than $55K or even not be even remotely near $55K.

I have an interview with another company on Tuesday for a similar position and they are starting at $65K and its not in the city either.

#6 11-17-2006, 04:57 PM

Is there room to grow?

Anyway, I'd keep looking. They obviously don't value you very much if they're coming in with a low offer. Plus, you'll be unhappy the whole time you're there.

Skyblade · #7 11-17-2006, 04:57 PM

Did you ask if the offer was negotiable? I did that with the job I have now and negotiated a salary 3k higher than the offer.
Edit: Nevermind, looks like you did ask. That sucks if there is little room for negotiation. One time I went to an interview and they told me, "So we start out at $10/hour, would that be ok for you?" and I just about laughed and was like "Frankly, no" and it wasn't at all negotiable, so that was a waste of time. I had to take a test and interview with 2 people which took about 2-2.5 hours.

WorkInProgress · #8 11-17-2006, 04:59 PM

Ok.

Is there a reason you couldn't try negotiating for a little bit more? Mention what you'd previously been told and see what happens.

Also, could you take this position, for say, a year while keeping up your search for something better?

Do you have other options that are close to offers?

wordsmith · #9 11-17-2006, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sondra_finchley

it sounds like there is very little room for negotiation as they are hiring a second person for the position as well, hence the low offer.

This is probably going to affect the negotiation flexibility, you're right.

weary · #10 11-17-2006, 05:06 PM

while it's hard to read emotion in text i'll say that you seem very upset and offended by this. i don't know that negotiating would help, even if they did come back up to the $# they first quoted you b/c it seems you will be distrustful/feeling disrespected from the jump. i could be wrong here. but i think you should figure out you feel overall before going back to them. i mean, if you don't feel like it's worth it anyway, no sense in negotiating, right?

sondra_finchley · #11 11-17-2006, 05:10 PM

WIP- I thought about that. Obviously I dont want to do anything TOO rash here, as any bridge you burn always comes back to haunt you. The one pro would be to use this position as a way to get into the city and start to establish myself. I can definitely afford to live on this wage, but I couldnt afford to really save money- and Im not a person who spends without concern. But... would this low wage continue to affect me in the future?

Im almost 30, I was hoping to someday in my life NOT still be living with no furniture and roommates.

Also- in regards to wearys post- I finally packed it in at the last job because i was pissed off and frustrated with being paid nothing for all the damn work I provided, some of which was really technical. Two years without a raise because they "couldnt afford" just made me angry and unpleasant. Unfortunately this makes me feel unhappy, and thats not a good way to start any new job at all.

#12 11-17-2006, 05:15 PM

I really think you should keep looking...it doesn't sound worth it. Your experience and background will be valued by someone and they'll be willing to pay what you want.

wordsmith · #13 11-17-2006, 05:17 PM

I'm the wrong person to ask, because in my lengthy job search, I DON'T actually believe what kitty believes.

WorkInProgress · #14 11-17-2006, 05:17 PM

I hear ya.

Would it be easier to move up from 48k than 30 later?

Can you put lowballing company off until at least Tuesday? That way you could have a feel for how that interview goes?

I'm confused...is the reason they only offered you 48 because you've been working for 30, or because they're hiring somebody else too and need the extra money for that?

#15 11-17-2006, 05:21 PM

As someone who is in marketing..I'm telling you, 48k for a marketing analyst position with 5+ years experience in a high COL area is BULL SHIT. You should be making more than that.