I just got a job offer for less than I asked for, what should I do now

This is a personal post for me, because this actually happened to me a few years ago. At the time my company was downsizing and I took it upon myself to try and find another job. You know the old adage, being proactive is the best policy. Thankfully, in the end as with most stressful experiences in life, I ended up learning a lot from it.

Scenario

So, lets lay out the scenario. You've applied for a job with high hopes of getting a nice fat salary, with lots of vacation time and a corner office. You go through the interview process and it turns out you seem like a really good fit. Then you sit on pins and needles waiting for the offer, trying not to get your hopes up, but inevitably do. Only to be ripped down from your high, by an offer that's way lower than your expectations.

Reality Check?

It's at this point you have to ask yourself a few things.

First: "Am I really qualified?"

This one might hurt your ego a bit, especially if you've over estimated your worth. It's definitely worth sitting down and asking if your skill set really qualifies you for the position.

Second: "What is the median salary for this position in my location?"

The web is full of tools to help you with this. Use them to see if what you're asking for is out of line with what your industry is willing to pay.

Third: "Do I really want to work for a company that doesn't have a similar view of my worth?"

If you think you really are qualified for the position and what your asking for isn't out of bounds, then the next thing you really need to think about is do you really want to work for a company that from the beginning is trying to undervalue your worth? I could see this going both ways. Maybe it really is a great company and you just need to get your foot in the door. On the other hand, maybe they are trying to prey on the fact that you really need a job, or the maybe the job market is currently poor and they know they can exploit that.

Advice

I have a couple snippets of wisdom to give you here. Your mileage may very, but I feel they are sound.

You need to know what you want from the beginning.

• Do you really want to work for this company?
• Are you willing to sacrifice income or vacation just to get a job?
• Do you feel this company is really a good fit for you, your personality, and your working habits?

You can't get what you don't ask for.
So they lowballed you, it happens a lot, don't take it personally. Your next move should be to counter with a higher salary. Maybe you could offer to take less than you originally wanted in salary if they give you an extra week or two of vacation. It's all really just a game, don't give in at the first sign of adversity. Counter offer with what you really want and think you can be happy with and explain to them why you're worth that much.

Decision time

So, negotiation is done and now you need to make a decision.

I think one of the main factors in making a decision like this is, how desperate are you? If you've got a job already or have other potential leads, then say no way. If this is the first offer you've had in 8 months, then it might be a good idea to take the job now to get some income coming in and keep your eyes open for something better.

Suggestions

What would you say to someone in this situation?

Header Photo Credit: A Vahanvati