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Old 06-13-2009, 12:25 PM
 
Location: Louisiana
157 posts, read 558,586 times
Reputation: 50

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I received a verbal job offer this past week which was much lower than I anticipated for my 20 plus years experience.

It is a lower cost area, however utilizing the salary comparison wizards it is still 10K too low.

I will be receiving their formal written offer early next week and need to get back with them.

Concern, I am in a specialized field with (0) openings or close to it throughout the country. I have been out of work 2 years with some consulting assignments due to my specialized field and the economy crash.

I am on unemployment and anything would be better than that but an offer of 50 K compared to my most recent 100K is wearing on me.

I also need to negotiate a longer start date due to the need to relocate and I am befuddled what to do. Friends say take it and live with it but I am close to my retirement years and scared I will not have a decent lifestyle.

Could someone just give me their input because I am concerned about this. The bonus plan is reasonable but the salary was a shock.
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Old 06-13-2009, 01:04 PM
 
18,655 posts, read 33,224,552 times
Reputation: 37037
I'd go with those who say take it and live with it, especially given the lack of opportunities in your field.
If you continue to have no job, your lifestyle, now and in retirement, will likely take more of a hit than taking a compromised situation. And you don't have to live in that area forever or buy a place to live. I'd look at it as the way to finish my working life (by getting back into it!) and not a permanent thing. Maybe in retirement you'd want to live somewhere else, or have to live somewhere else cheaper. I think there are tough retirement choices ahead for many of us. I do think it's reasonable to negotiate a later date due to moving. Could you move and stay in a temporary situaton and start when they want to, scope out the town/area for a situation that would suit you? Are you moving alone?
Whatever you do, it seems unwise to buy a property in the new place, even if you can.
Best wishes.
A bird in the hand, and so on.
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Old 06-13-2009, 01:25 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
5,725 posts, read 11,671,534 times
Reputation: 9828
It's an employer's market right now. Ask yourself this: if you refuse this job and are still unemployed in six months or a year, will you regret your decision? And would your regret outweigh the wounded pride you would feel from taking it?
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Old 06-13-2009, 01:38 PM
 
Location: Airports all over the world
7,487 posts, read 7,974,007 times
Reputation: 106086
2 years is a long time to be out of work. I would really consider taking the offer. When the economy turns around there are going to be lots of people that chose to take the low offers and will already have their foot back in the door.
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Old 06-13-2009, 01:48 PM
 
Location: Central Ohio
10,807 posts, read 14,872,678 times
Reputation: 16471
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoreeGal View Post
I received a verbal job offer this past week which was much lower than I anticipated for my 20 plus years experience.

It is a lower cost area, however utilizing the salary comparison wizards it is still 10K too low.
In this market I would take it, snap it up now like a doggie treat. I don't know what your field is but based on what I am seeing be thankful and I doubt the company is screwing you over so don't hold a grudge.

Does it include medical insurance coverage? As you know that's a biggie in today's world.

Everyone is working for less or (as in my case) working more for the same amount. In my niche field I'm fortunate that I am always the first hired and last fired but even with that I understand the company at least has to break even in order for them to continue making my paycheck. I've been bidding work and getting nothing, it's crazy out there with jobs that were going for $1.70 per square foot a year and a half ago going for $0.99 a square foot today and a friend told me he saw a similar type project in Colorado go for $0.87 per square foot. I can't go $0.99, not even thinking about $0.88) because the only way a job going for $0.99 could remotely hope to break even is if everything went perfectly. By perfectly everyone involved in the project from lead technician to lowest apprentice would have to work on this project giving it 110% of their effort as if it were the last job they would ever have.

The lowest I can go and still feel remotely comfortable is $1.15. At $1.15 everyone is going to have to work extremely hard and maybe the company *might* enjoy a net profit of $2,000 on a $250,000 job. There is no extra, there is no fat. If I hire another man on today he would get paid less not because I am a big bad meanie but it just isn't there to give.

Contrary to what some might think I like everyone who works around me to be a cheery, happy camper and a big part of this is a decent wage with extras but it just isn't there right now.

I know of a couple small family owned companies where two or three family members might take on a project for reduced wages or, what most do anyway, is work 60 hours a week for a regular 40 hour paycheck with the view it's better than nothing which is what it would be if they didn't get the job.

I am not getting anything right now as an estimator, I used to get 30% of what I bid my record for the last two months is a measly $18k for $2.5 million bid. I can't touch the lowest prices. Not good at all.

So, in order to keep my worth to the company intact, I am starting to perform inspections two days a week. What I can make on the inspections can at least make my payroll and benefits giving me the other three days to attempt to bid work. I am not making the company any money but I am paying for myself.

Companies are really struggling to stay alive right now.

Congrats on the offer.
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Old 06-13-2009, 02:34 PM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,858,106 times
Reputation: 13161
You mentioned

Quote:
I received a verbal job offer this past week which was much lower than I anticipated for my 20 plus years experience.
That's what you think you should be earning, but realisitically what is the average salary for that field? Have you used a salary calculator? (Keep in mind that friends of mine and I have discussed this and we have overall found them often to be 10-20% higher than what salaries actually are.) It might surprise you that you arean't worth what you think you are.

In many, and I'd even venture a guess that in most careers, someone with five years experience doing the job is going to be just as good as someone with 20 years. There are very few types of jobs that you will learn anything new after you hit the five year mark, other than advances in that technology/discipline that everyone learns at the same time regardless of how old or new they are. (ie new software, new accounting principals, new products available to the market, etc.)

I agree with the others. Take it and be happy you have a job. And forget the longer start date, deal with it. Pack up your car and rent a room someplace for a few weeks, going back to where you currently live on weekends to pack and ultimately move.

Anyone who has been out of work for two years is not in a position to bargain, or in a position to do anything to make this offer be retracted. As Alaskan Mutt pointed out, you can always keep looking.
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Old 06-13-2009, 03:03 PM
 
2,713 posts, read 5,341,317 times
Reputation: 6187
Quote:
Originally Posted by annerk View Post
You mentioned



That's what you think you should be earning, but realisitically what is the average salary for that field? Have you used a salary calculator? (Keep in mind that friends of mine and I have discussed this and we have overall found them often to be 10-20% higher than what salaries actually are.) It might surprise you that you arean't worth what you think you are.

In many, and I'd even venture a guess that in most careers, someone with five years experience doing the job is going to be just as good as someone with 20 years. There are very few types of jobs that you will learn anything new after you hit the five year mark, other than advances in that technology/discipline that everyone learns at the same time regardless of how old or new they are. (ie new software, new accounting principals, new products available to the market, etc.)

I agree with the others. Take it and be happy you have a job. And forget the longer start date, deal with it. Pack up your car and rent a room someplace for a few weeks, going back to where you currently live on weekends to pack and ultimately move.

Anyone who has been out of work for two years is not in a position to bargain, or in a position to do anything to make this offer be retracted. As Alaskan Mutt pointed out, you can always keep looking.
I totally agree with this.

I don't understand the whole "lifestyle taking a hit" thing if you're making nothing now. What kind of hit is that compared to a job that pays $50k?

You could, however, tell them that you're very interested in the position but surprised at the low salary and try to negotiate a review in six months that will bump you up if your performance is spot on. Couldn't hurt to ask but do it carefully so you don't lose the offer entirely.

If it were me, I'd take the job and keep my eye on what's out there in case something with a better salary opens up.
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Old 06-13-2009, 03:28 PM
 
Location: Seattle
1,938 posts, read 3,903,796 times
Reputation: 4660
With the limited information it's a no brainer. Take the job.
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Old 06-13-2009, 07:53 PM
FBJ
 
Location: Tall Building down by the river
39,605 posts, read 58,834,422 times
Reputation: 9451
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoreeGal View Post
I received a verbal job offer this past week which was much lower than I anticipated for my 20 plus years experience.

It is a lower cost area, however utilizing the salary comparison wizards it is still 10K too low.

I will be receiving their formal written offer early next week and need to get back with them.

Concern, I am in a specialized field with (0) openings or close to it throughout the country. I have been out of work 2 years with some consulting assignments due to my specialized field and the economy crash.

I am on unemployment and anything would be better than that but an offer of 50 K compared to my most recent 100K is wearing on me.

I also need to negotiate a longer start date due to the need to relocate and I am befuddled what to do. Friends say take it and live with it but I am close to my retirement years and scared I will not have a decent lifestyle.

Could someone just give me their input because I am concerned about this. The bonus plan is reasonable but the salary was a shock.


I wouldn' t take it, you should have a number that you will not go under and stick to that number. And if the salary was that much of a shock then don't accept the offer. I knew what I was not going to accept when my job search started.
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Old 06-13-2009, 09:56 PM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,858,106 times
Reputation: 13161
Quote:
Originally Posted by TVandSportsGuy View Post
I wouldn' t take it, you should have a number that you will not go under and stick to that number. And if the salary was that much of a shock then don't accept the offer. I knew what I was not going to accept when my job search started.
And you weren't out of work for two years and aren't in a specialized field.
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