Negotiation Skills Company, Inc.
 
Negotiation Skills Company, Inc.

Title Image
Q & A Table of Contents

I've Got Experience, But They Want To Pay An Entry-Level Salary

From: Erik, San Francisco

Question: I recently received an offer from a professional services firm to start as an entry level consultant. Employment would begin after I graduate with a BS in Business Administration. I have several years of management and technical skills that are transferable to the profession (6 years), but I am unsure how to approach the firm with a request for both a higher position and higher salary. Do you have any suggestions regarding the direction in which I should pursue?

Response: The most important thing for you to do is to re-interview the firm. It shows them that you are serious in your interest, that you are sufficiently eager not to want to wait until your first day on the job to begin getting yourself oriented to the company.

In effect you want to say, "Okay, you've made me an offer -- now I want to learn more about you." Find out why they hired you rather than other people. See if their responses relating to the issues that follow give you hints about what arguments will appeal to them.

You should find some way to compare yourself with other entry-level hires made by the firm. If you can differentiate yourself from them, then it could make sense to go to the firm and ask them to reconsider the pay scale and professional level of your initial position with them.

Part of the problem is that they may not share your feelings about the 'transferability' of your experience. Was your experience something that induced them to hire you?

Did any other firms offer you jobs? At what pay and responsibility levels? For example, you may want to work for this firm because of their location, their corporate culture, or other reasons. But if other companies have said they would value having you, that is meaningful evidence you might present to your most likely employer.

If the company says they've taken your experience into account and their offer reflects it, the decision-maker might lose face if they are 'forced' to change the initial offer. What you may do is bargain for more frequent reviews of your work with a view towards getting promotions and pay increases faster than is normal for new employees.

Good luck with your career advancement.
Steve

The Negotiation Skills Company, Inc.   P O Box 172   Pride's Crossing, MA 01965, USA   
Voice: +1 978-927-6775     FAX: +1 978-921-4447
WEB: www.NegotiationSkills.com   E-mail: tnsc@negotiationskills.com
Designed by: Online Marketing Strategies