I was contacted on LinkedIn by a consulting firm specializing in my field. I spoke with HR, several team members, even the current CEO and really enjoyed the meetings. They want to continue discussions, and so do I based on what I learned about the role and the company. However, I saw the job posted online and the salary estimate is more than 30% lower than what I was already making years ago. Is it worthwhile to continue talking, and if I do, should I bring up the salary discrepancy now? – Cybersecurity professional
Within the last month, two other experienced professionals in different fields (media and marketing) also wrote in with almost identical situations. The other situations were also mid- to late-stages of interviewing, and the salary budgets of the prospective employers were also significantly below the most recent salary of the candidates – in one case, a six-figure deficit. The nature of the role and the company offering it make the potential job a dream, but the salary falls short.
· Option 1: You could continue interviewing even though you know the salary – but will the prospective employer assume you’re okay with the salary since you’re still talking?
· Option 2: You could bring up the salary gap now – but will it seem presumptuous since no offer has been made?
· Option 3: You could end discussions now, giving up the chance to negotiate the initial target salary higher – though can you ever overcome such a high discrepancy?
Focus on the decision you have in front of you – not the hypothetical ones that might come up later
One of my earlier posts covered an excellent book on decision-making by Laurence Alison and Dr. Neil Shortland, Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On. A key lesson from the book is to invest your decision-making energy on actual choices you have:
“When faced with what seems like a decision, your initial task is to work out whether there is, in fact, a decision to be made at all….We often find ourselves falling into this pattern of agonizing of decisions that are not available to us, or that we do not have the power to make” – Laurence Alison and Dr. Neil Shortland in Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On
Sometimes when you’re in the later stages of interviewing for a job, some meetings feel like the company is selling you, giving these discussions the look and feel of an offer being made. But until you hear some version of, “We’d like to offer you the job. Here are the terms”, there is no offer. If you are expending your scarce energy on the pros and cons of an offer from this prospective employer, that’s an example of agonizing over a decision you have no power to make. Until a firm offer is made, the only next step you are sure about is that there needs to be a next meeting.
Outline what you still need to learn in that next meeting
If you’re interested in the job, you want that next meeting. We can rule out Option 3 – ending discussions preemptively. In this next meeting (or meetings), you are confirming all the details about the role and company that will help you determine whether it’s a good career move for you. (Remember, the company is also still interviewing you, so you still need to ace your interview technique!)
Does the role fit your career interests and current priorities? Will it set you up for your longer-term goals? Can you make an outsize contribution to this company – adding more wins to your career portfolio?
Once a mutual fit is determined, negotiate based on value — not some hypothetical range
Since you keep discussions all about the role, we have ruled out Option 2 – preemptively talking salary. But let’s say that after these subsequent meetings, you realize you do want this job, and the prospective employer reveals they want you too. Let’s also say that the proposed salary turns out to be the lower figure you had seen previously. Now you negotiate.
All facets of a successful negotiation can’t be covered in the tail-end of one post (however, you can start with this compilation of negotiation tips). In a nutshell, you want to open with gratitude: Thank you so much for this exciting opportunity! You want to emphasize what you already agree on: I’m excited at the prospect of working together (agreement!), particularly [THIS, THIS, and THIS] about the role (more things you agree on!). Then negotiate with questions rather than demands. Questions keep the conversation focused on curiosity over defensiveness: How did you decide on your target salary?
If the company invokes Option 1 (hey, you saw the salary, so you must have been OK with it), remind them that what you saw was a potential number based on a potential role. Your meetings were all about how you might work together, and you weren’t talking about salary during this time. Reiterate the gratitude, agreement and curiosity with questions from above, as you negotiate.
You might try to get the salary higher by pointing out how the job is actually a bigger job than advertised, or that you will deliver more value than just any candidate. You might meet them on the salary but negotiate for flexibility to do the work part-time, allowing you time to make more money elsewhere. You might work out a bonus component, equity or some other type of compensation that makes up for the lower salary.
Don’t talk yourself out of a job that isn’t even yours yet
It’s not easy to negotiate a big increase in salary, but it’s doable, and there’s no harm in trying (you will not lose a job offer by negotiating!). On the other hand, if you don’t pursue a job just because you think the salary might be too low, then you’ve just negotiated yourself down. You’ve talked yourself out of a job that isn’t even yours yet. Take the next meeting. Give yourself one more opportunity to fashion the job into your dream job. Who knows what ultimately might happen?
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