Job offer - How much to counteroffer?

I got an offer from another company that is not what I was hoping. When I add my current compensation package up, it’s more than the new place. I’d have to get the new place to come up about 17% to make me consider it.

Is there a general rule of thumb when it comes to how much one can counteroffer? Is there a general counteroffer percentage that, when presented to the company, they tell you “thanks, but we’ll have to pass”?

I’m sure most places put their lowball offer out there first, yes? Anyone here work in HR?

 

Ummm you didn’t give notice at the old place already, did you?

 

Each offer is unique, so it would be impossible for there to be a standard.

Having said that, you need to be upfront and clear about where you need to be, to even CONSIDER it. Don't dick around. If they say you have the potential to earn that, I'd be hard pressed to listen any further.

 

Yes, tell them you are interested in moving up in pay and tell them how much you need.

 

Nope.

 

So 17% will get you to consider it? What will it take for you to accept it? %20? %25? Tell them that is what you need. If they won't meet that then why bother, they won't give it to you later.

 

You already have a job, and this is an employee's market in most industries I'm seeing.

You hold all the cards. They're offering you less than you make now Tell them you're not looking to step backwards in pay. You said 17%. Shoot them 25% . Hell, 30%. If they say no, thank them for their time & silently count your blessings you didn't go to work there.

 

Tell them what you make now and state that it will take 15% on top for a move.

 

Tell them flat out I'm not taking a pay cut. And I'm not moving for same pay either. Do better.

 

Is the new job in a different part of the country with a significantly lower cost of living?

If not, I wouldn’t even entertain the offer at a 17% pay cut. Without there being some type of extenuating circumstance(s) you haven’t mentioned, then a minimum of a 10% pay increase is the least you should change jobs for.

This is probably the one time you have most, if not all, the leverage in your salary negotiation.

 

I submitted my counteroffer, laying out why I need a particular figure. If they meet it, great. If not, no biggie. I’ll stay where I am.
Thanks for all the input, guys. I really appreciate it.
Have a good weekend everyone.

 

Good luck. Unless there are some issues in the current job, I wouldn’t change jobs for less than 10% and if there was a physical move, really closer to 15-20% more. More than likely, your current company would counter up to 10% to keep you. Maybe more if you’re underpaid and they know it.

 

I’d probably like my job a lot better if I had a better manager. She’s the worst boss I’ve ever had. She’s never in the office, and when she is, she’s running all over the place; no time for her team.
Plus the whole “this is a fukcing emergency, we gotta do it now”...and then it turns out NOT to be an emergency (good thing I stayed til all hours of the night) is getting old.
But the pay is good and the benefits are good as well. Who knows; maybe the new place will step up. Plus, I have another interview next Tuesday.

 

All of it.

 

People leave their managers not their companies as the saying goes. When I recently switched positions in my company (I took a bit of a step back .org chart wise but not in pay, I was missing way too much traveling all the time. Was honest and upfront with my employer and they made a position for me). My biggest concern was my team and who will manage them. Against my advice they put probably the worst person I could think of in the role. Since then the 2 Sr people on the team left the company, a couple mid level and a couple not quite jr but close to mid level. They all stated it was because of their supervisor. On one hand that made me feel good personally on the other hand it’s disappointing the company doesn’t care.

 

If you are “ok” in your current job when all said and done 20% min overall. You have to look at the overall package with everything from salary, healthcare, 401k, etc. Those are all big factors and they all add up at the end of the year. Also look for where you can go in your current company and the new one. Health of both companies and simple things like commute, are they flexible with hours to allow every Friday off during race season (actually getting an extra week or two vacation is also a good negotiating point but hopefully you actually can take a vacation unlike me, I get 6 weeks and usually don’t use it all. This year I actually took a real vacation from work and went a week without any interaction with work. Felt weird but after first couple days the anxiety went away).

 

You’re 100% right. When I look at the overall employment compensation package, that’s the only way to compare apples to apples. One of the nice things about my current place is that they deposit 7% of my base into my 401(k) every January. This is in addition to the company match. That’s a nice hunk of change to get. I’m definitely adding that to my counteroffer.

One of 3 things will happen.
1. They’ll meet my request.
2. They’ll counteroffer a lower amount.
3. They’ll say thanks, but no thanks.

In the end, I can always stay where I am and keep looking.

 

What I've always told prospective employers is that I require X amount above my existing base salary (usually 10%), assuming apples/apples when it comes to other benefits. I justify this by telling them that I am assuming a significant amount of risk taking over another sales territory with nothing but their word on its overall performance, health of the company, etc. I've never had an HR professional provide a strong counterargument to that.

Your current company seems like a good place to work. A 7% pre-tax dump into your 401K every year is unheard of in a lot of industries these days.

 

Look at the whole package and decide where your priorities are which matches up best with them. The job I left offered me a path to promotion ... a huge one. But it also entailed a significant amount of travel. With a 5 & 8 year old at home, I wasn’t willing to do that. I gave up $60-80k/year by not taking that offer. But I still make a good living and can be home every night and involves with my kids. Heck, I just spent yesterday afternoon out fishing with my new boss and was still home in time to do dinner with the fam. I couldn’t be happier.

Priorities ... not just money.

 

Yeah, that part is nice, I gotta admit.