Hi Everyone!

18 Comments

1. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 4:05PM UTC

   Always do your market research and know precisely what you are getting into before you offer a pay range.
   Even if you were suprised on the interview that what you would have to do is more involved than the job description, when asked, say that you will follow up within the next business day, since you learned some new things about the role that you want to factor into the pay range before you give it to them.

2. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 4:14PM UTC

   Wait and take a look at the offer.

   Then go back and explain given the role and responsibilities the current market is in the x to y range.

3. Susan RoblesAugust 13,2022 at 5:11PM UTC

   I think you should ask before moving forward. If the range isn't there it could be a waste of time for all. I really dislike recruiters who low-ball candidates. Unfortunately I see is so often. And it's not like they get a commission on budget saved. Idk!!!

4. AnonymousAugust 13,2022 at 5:28PM UTC

   When salary comes up you can honestly say that you were asked what you currently make, but not what would be appropriate for the additional responsibilities in this new position given the current market. Then state what you think the salary should be.

   If it's a contract position where the recruiter "bids" a certain rate, that might not work. If it's a direct hire, I think you would have some room to negotiate.

   In a few cases with contract positions recently I've told the recruiter that the amount they are offering will not work for me. Sometimes they come back saying that's the top of what they can offer, and more often they've come back with a higher amount. Since some of them are just filling interview slots, it's hard to know when they'd really pay the higher amount.

   Good luck!

5. JJAugust 13,2022 at 8:38PM UTC

   Wait for the offer then negotiate the fair salary.

6. Audrey KirschAugust 13,2022 at 9:58PM UTC

   Tell the recruiter that they misrepresented you. You said what your salary currently is, not what you’d be willing to accept to make a change.

7. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 14,2022 at 5:06AM UTC

   I would reach out to the recruiter asap and tell them that based on what you've learned about the actual responsibilities of the position, you'd like to know what the salary range is.
   I would at this point also try to determine exactly who is attempting to pull the switch-a-rooney on you - the recruiter or the company. Or is it a case of the recruiter being bad at his job - not finding out all the specifics before he submitted you. Are you even qualified for this job? Have you done this sort of work before? Are they expecting the person in this job to build the sales comp plan? Those can be quite complex.

   I would ask for the salary range and say nothing until he replies. I don't see the point of proceeding with this company if they're not willing to compensate you fairly. I don't see the point of waiting for them to make you an offer to find out what the comp looks like.

   This position sound like Manager or Director level work to me - certainly not associate level. You're not going to be earning commission for a year - are they willing to compensate you in some other way for all the work besides actually selling you're expected to do? Monthly or quarterly bonuses? Or will the salary be higher for the first year while you're doing all this working setting up processes - I'm assuming they're expecting you to also be carrying out you're sales calls.

   When you interviewed, did they go over what your OTE should be once you start earning commissions? In general, working for a start up in a hard environment - lots of work, lots of hours. You need to make sure you're not putting yourself in a position where you're working 70 hours a week for a $50k base salary.

   Please let me know if you have any questions. GOOD LUCK!

8. Jackie GhedineAugust 15,2022 at 12:08PM UTC

   You know your worth and shouldn't settle. A recruiter wants to make their money and often will do the wrong thing to make that happen.

   That said, you know what your market value is and it is incumbent upon you to articulate it with confidence. I would contact the recruiter, explain to them you didn't agree to moving jobs for my current salary (also determine if you are in one of the states where it is now illegal to ask the question) and let him know, given the job, the responsibilities and my experience, I am looking for a salary of X to even consider making the move.

   Good luck!

9. Crystal HowellAugust 15,2022 at 12:55PM UTC

   You realized you blurted, the recruiter should have known in your state is not good to ask. The lowball offer can be adjusted once an offer comes, you can counterclaim the offer with your salary and commission requirements. Check salary.com

10. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 1:12PM UTC

    Wait for the offer then counter. Your reason will be because the position involves more than you were initially told and the work/your skill set merits a higher base amount. If they say no, then thank them for their time and the offer. But, check the benefits package, because sometimes that makes a smaller initial salary worth it.

    THEN have a conversation with the recruiter and tell him your bottom dollar amount. Also, when I get a cold call from a recruter like that I check the company's website and see what positions they actually have available. Sometimes they pull a bait-and-switch too.

11. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 2:31PM UTC

    If the recruiter is placing you for a full time role with this company, then at your next interview with them ask them what the salary range is for the position. If it doesn't meet what you're looking for for the amount of work required, make sure you let them know.

12. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 3:13PM UTC

    See if you can negotiate the salary, if not turn it down and look for another recruiter.

    Based on what I read is your recruiter is not very competent. It is ok to switch them if you are not satisfied. It sounds to me like they’re just trying to make a sale and move on with their lives. They don’t care whether they place you someplace you want to be or fit in.

    I had that happen to me once and luckily my husband who is more experienced with working recruiters told me to cut my losses.

    I ended up getting contacted by another one who worked out for me 25% more in base salary plus bonuses.

13. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 3:35PM UTC

    OP here!
    This recruiter has worked with the VP of the company in the past ( at a different company) so they have the relationship.

14. AnonymousAugust 15,2022 at 6:06PM UTC

    Oh, well then the recruiter is working for the VP and is going to try and get a high quality person for a lot less money. Stick to your guns on salary.

15. AnonymousAugust 16,2022 at 1:08AM UTC

    I agree with the previous poster to your comment. The recruiter is definitely working for the VP of the company. I also just re-read your original post and only just saw now that you mentioned it is a start-up.

    I am not sure in what stage of life you are but if you are looking for a place with good pay and work life benefits then a start up is definitely not it. I would say run and don’t look back. Start-ups notoriously have toxic work cultures not only from a work life perspective but also from an empire/employer perspective.

16. Farah BajwaAugust 15,2022 at 4:22PM UTC

    I think wait and see what they come back with and decide how to respond from there. I was asked once how much I was making (I was naïve; young in my career and dealing with my first layoff ) and I told the HR lady. They still offered my $10K more than what I'd been making, which put me right at the middle of the range. (its when I realized my former employer was underpaying me after being with them 9 years). When I asked for more pay with this new job, she used my former salary to argue they're already giving me more, so I focused on negotiating more vacation time, which they agreed to.

    Also, keep in mind that you have control here - YOU get to choose to accept or decline their offer. Trust your gut and always look out for yourself. Good luck!

17. Lisa SchneiderAugust 15,2022 at 7:01PM UTC

    I agree with the advice below to wait and see what the offer is and then negotiate it. Remember, they are *not* giving you a "raise on your current salary," which is how they like to phrase it. Be prepared to push back against this concept. You are asking to be paid a fair wage for the job at hand, which is different from your previous role. If you are able to do the job, you should be paid to do it at market rate. They should not use prior salary as a means to underpay you here, and it's up to you how much you want the new role and how hard you want to lean on that message.

18. Rosa GoesAugust 16,2022 at 6:05AM UTC

    I agree with others, wait until you receive an offer. Then you can tell them that after going through the interviews and learning about the position, a salary of x seems appropriate given the additional responsibilities. If they counter, you can counter back stating the market range for similar positions (so I would research salaries beforehand).