Counter offer

[Belloni]

So my girlfriend has a new job offer on the table, but her current work has countered it to basically the same salary. Would you mention to the recruiter that you've had a counter to squeeze some more salary from the new company? She'll accept regardless but higher salary won't hurt.

Or would this put off the new employer?

 

[dowie]

if it did put off the new employer then they're a bit silly and perhaps acting emotionally rather than rationally

it seems like a no brainer to me, definitely ask for more money! Frankly you should almost always try to find a way to ask for more money regardless though often candidates are trapped because the recruiter gets them to spill their current salary and/or nails them down to a figure they'd accept and it is then harder to justify asking for more if you're offered what you already said you'd accept - a counter offer gives you a valid reason to ask for more.

Their offer now only represents what she can have already without the risk of moving etc.. if they set aside some budget (which they inevitable will have done) then they should increase the offer they make to her

companies are well aware that candidates might either reject an offer and ask for more money or get a counter offer from their existing employer and in most cases they'll budget for it when making an initial first offer to a candidate. I can't remember the stats but IIRC the vast majority of hiring managers budget for a candidate asking for more and the vast majority of candidates don't ask for it.

 

[DAIR]

These things happen.

She needs to ask herself why she started looking for a new job in the first place. If it came down to just money then yes; I'd let the recruiter know. However, if it was because she wasn't happy then I would rather not waste any time... I'd just leave

 

[Beerbaron]

Recruiters normally ask early on what a candidate would do if their current employer counter offers.
As mentioned above why did she look to move roles in the first place.

 

[Belloni]

Thanks all, well she wants to move but yeah I guess the opportunity to potentially get more slightly more money then they are offering would also be nice. However, I've just found out she's already signed the contract so renders this pretty much pointless(?).

 

[DAIR]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with changing one's mind.

 

[Iron-man]

if she has signed and does want to move jobs I would just take the job and be happy I guess she must have been happy with the offer to sign so it is all about going and enjoying the job as most people are in work for a long time

 

[dowie]

Thanks all, well she wants to move but yeah I guess the opportunity to potentially get more slightly more money then they are offering would also be nice. However, I've just found out she's already signed the contract so renders this pretty much pointless(?).

Yeah she can't realistically turn around and ask for more money from the new employer then, did she sign/return the contract before letting her current employer know?

She needs to ask herself why she started looking for a new job in the first place. If it came down to just money then yes; I'd let the recruiter know. However, if it was because she wasn't happy then I would rather not waste any time... I'd just leave

Honestly you potentially leave a lot of money on the table if you take this view - it can certainly have a big impact going forwards - for the sake of waiting an extra day or two before signing you potentially get yourself not just an extra few grand that year but for the subsequent years you work at that employer too. The salary you negotiate at the start of your employment with any firm has a big impact and subsequent raises are relative to it. Essentially it can cost you tens of thousands of pounds.

 

[jaybee]

I agree, when starting a new role, that is in 99% of jobs going to be the time where you have the best opportunity to demand more pay. It very rarely comes around again unless you become critical to a business. Now is the time to ask for amounts that you may even feel uncomfortable asking for. Always aim as high as you can. The employer will either counter or say no sorry that's all we got. You can very rarely offend them and they are used to negotiations. Most of it is done via the agent anyway who - if they are good - can get the most possible for you with any advantage they have. Some agents deal with certain employers regularly and get to know how to negotiate with them and how they are likely to respond.