I win! I win!

[Hypnotiq]

Long story short, the wife has to admit that I'm smarter than her and her mathematics degree. :D

She was recruited by her old director at her current company to come work for her at the new company (pretty successful startup so far). Interview was more of a formality and they made the offer. Of course it was at the bottom end of her "range".

I told her that she HAS to negotiate. Their job is to get her for as little as possible. She thinks it will ruin the job offer, blah, blah, blah. She agrees to do it. I prepped her pretty well with how to attack it.

Ask expected, HR made her feel like bad for asking "This is already a generous offer", "we have to account for others in your position", "more than you make now", etc. I pretty much gave her a counter point for everything they were going to throw out here. They said they had to talk to the hiring manager (who is the director that recruited her) and would call her back.

Meanwhile, I'm getting yelled at because she thinks that they won't hire her now because she asked for too much $ (originally asked for 5% over the offer). The director is going to think she is greedy, blah, blah, blah.

They come back with same salary offer but offered a sign on bonus = to the 5% I told her to ask for + more options.

Nico wins. Yayyyyyy!

[beer gut racing]

Absolutely! Always ask for more, they expect it. I did the same thing for my current job. WHen they came back with a counter-offer, they seemed shocked that I accepted it...I could have countered again! I was fresh out of school, so I was a little leary and excited to at least have a job!

good for Jen!

[Kadbugg]

Don't forget the bonus will be taxed, unless she negotiated it to be grossed up, which would mean the business pays the taxes.

[Hypnotiq]

Absolutely! Always ask for more, they expect it. I did the same thing for my current job. WHen they came back with a counter-offer, they seemed shocked that I accepted it...I could have countered again! I was fresh out of school, so I was a little leary and excited to at least have a job!

good for Jen!

Totally. If there is one thing I do well, its negotiating. :)

I remember back 8 years ago when I started @ Microsoft. They were actually shocked when I didnt take the first offer given to me. LOL

A few years ago when I was thinking of making a change and moving back East, I was offered a job with Citrix systems working with the DOD specifically. I pretty much countered them 3x before finally deciding I didn't want to move to the East Coast.

Anyways...Jen's happy, so thats all that matters. She can help support my racing habit now. heh

And Bugg, yeah, I know the whole tax deal...that was factored into my negotiation #'s. ;)

[kneedragger]

shit son....if the wife is happy...You'll be happy! If the wife is miserable and you are happy, just wait, you will be miserable shortly...

I take negotiating for my salary very seriously and I love the back and forth stuff. I have always negotiated and have always won out...

[Barry Wressell]

Maybe you should negotiate a win someday! :86:

[Justin Watkins]

LOL - Now that funny! Who do I negotiate with? Im interested! LOL!!!!

[G-RRFun]

Maybe you should negotiate a win someday! :86:

OOOOHHHHHH BITCH Please !!!! snap snap:whip:

[sanfret]

I am on the other side of this ... at the end of the day, the offers I give are good, counters would be uncalled for. It isn't 'always' expected, in most cases if someone countered it would be insulting.

[Syrythius]

I've countered at every job I've been at except my latest. This job I took their offer because i was looking at long term. I wanted to get in show them the potential and then work for a good 1st year review..which a 20% raise isn't too shabby :).

I've talked to people on both ends, and basically my feeling is you only will get what you put into when it comes to a career. You can be the type to accept what is offered and hopefully be happy, or you can be the type that works to move your career forward. There's a reason most companies give a salary range for a job.

Now this all assumes that you have done your homework, truly know your value to the market and company, know what the company can afford, what the market can handle, etc etc. Counter offering doesn't mean you just pull a number out of your ass and expect the company to sniff it like a red rose.

just my 4cents.

[sanfret]

I have plenty of frank discussions with candidates prior to pulling the trigger. Offers are well informed and accurate based on market conditions, job expectations and a candidates experience. Offers are real offers, I don't low ball potential team members, last thing I need is a new hire worried about making their mortgage instead of putting in the time to get the job done well and on time.

The real tough ones are the ones where you are trying to keep someone who is heading out, though thankfully haven't had one of those in long time.