Always ask for more. It can't hurt, and if they can't offer salary, is there anything in terms of benefits that you can ask for?
Mal: He calls back, you keep them occupied. Wash: What do I do, shadow puppets?
'The Message'
Natter 72: We Were Unprepared for This
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Dana - Oct 01, 2013 8:20:02 am PDT #7466 of 30000
I'm terrifically busy with my ennui.
Theodosia - Oct 01, 2013 8:21:58 am PDT #7467 of 30000
'we all walk this earth feeling we are frauds. The trick is to be grateful and hope the caper doesn't end any time soon"
No, don't feel bad, this is Really Good News, Kate!
(German proverb: sadness shared is halved, happiness shared is doubled.)
Sorry I don't have any advice on negotiating. My response to a job offer is pretty much always rolling over on my back and showing my soft white belly.
Jesse - Oct 01, 2013 8:24:02 am PDT #7468 of 30000
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Yay Kate! Sure, ask for more -- why not?
Kate P. - Oct 01, 2013 8:25:08 am PDT #7469 of 30000
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love
if they can't offer salary, is there anything in terms of benefits that you can ask for?
Maybe? I doubt there will be any vacation time offered, since the position already includes two months off in the summer and two weeks at Christmas/New Year's. What else would be feasible? Retirement contributions? Percentage of health care premiums?
Kate P. - Oct 01, 2013 8:26:32 am PDT #7470 of 30000
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love
Sure, ask for more -- why not?
Because they will laugh at me and then take away the job offer? (At least, this is what my brain is telling me.)
Sparky1 - Oct 01, 2013 8:27:35 am PDT #7471 of 30000
Librarian Warlord
Kate, try to get as much information about their metrics as you can. We offer a salary in the middle of whatever step we're assigning them to, because that allows room for growth. If you come in too high, you can end up not getting a raise (because you can't advance to a new step without a new job title - impossible). So, it would be better to get $45K at a higher step than in the one you're currently assigning to you (if that's how they work).
But also have alternatives: More vacation time, etc., that they can give you without actually spending $$
Jesse - Oct 01, 2013 8:28:48 am PDT #7472 of 30000
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Because they will laugh at me and then take away the job offer? (At least, this is what my brain is telling me.)
Right, that is what you need to counter in your brain. That will not happen! It has never happened! Certainly not when someone asked for like 5% more than the offer.
Another thing you could ask for is a shorter review period? Like, could you get a review in 6 months with the stated aim of bumping you up to the higher number?
Sue - Oct 01, 2013 8:30:10 am PDT #7473 of 30000
hip deep in pie
Woot! Congrats Kate! The salary may be set, but it never hurts to ask. You might want to consider counter arguments (Like additional training/experience/qualifications/comparative salaries)as to why you think you deserve more than they are offering.
Ginger - Oct 01, 2013 8:32:23 am PDT #7474 of 30000
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
I have read that men almost always negotiate, while women generally don't.
Jessica - Oct 01, 2013 8:32:28 am PDT #7475 of 30000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
Ask for the raise. If they're a private school, chances are the pay grades are more flexible than in a public K-12. And if you don't ask, you won't get!
Worst case scenario is they say sorry, no, [original offer] is all we can do.