Job offers and salary scales?

[camille79]

I've just been offered a job which I'm really chuffed about but am not entirely sure if I can regotiate the salary of not. When it was advertised, the salary was given as a range of scale points, but my formal job offer letter says my starting salary will be the lowest of these points.

Is it normal to negotiate and ask to be started higher up the scale or just accept the salary that is offered. I do have a lot of relevant experience so am well suited to the job so don't want to feel short-changed but equally worry that I may seem cheeky if I ask for more money.

[Octavius]

You could ask when the salary will be reviewed, and if this is one year from the start date then I would ask why you have been put at the bottom end of the scale where you feel that your experience and quals should earn you a higher salary within that grade.

It's tough, but you won't know unless you ask.

[undercovers]

did you not discuss the wage at interview, obviously this is when you should negotiated the best deal for yourself - if you didn't mention it your employer assumed you would accept the minimum offer (e.g. be to timid to ask for more), if you have not accepted the offer then maybe you should now ask for more, but be aware this would constitute a counter offer thus killing the previous offer. This just means that if they say no - you cannot simply accept the first offer e.g. they would be under no contractual obligation to hire you at any salary scale... hope that makes sense

kind regards undercovers

[WendyS]

Is there a probation period for the job, i.e. 3 months? If not I would try to negotiate a salary review once you've finished your induction training and are competent in the role.

[Sasha13]

This may be too late now but I completely disagree with undercovers, and I work as a Recruitment Manager for a well known company. If someone mentions salary at an interview (if it has been advertised) it immediately puts me off recruiting them as they can come across as money motivated (are they going to leave quickly if someone else offers them more??). Also, if the employer didn't raise salary at interview i.e. what salary are you ideally looking for, don't be afraid to go back to them to see 'if there is any movement in the salary'. In most cases this does NOT mean that if the employer says no, the original job offer is no longer valid - no company in their right mind would change their mind on offering a person a job because that person had queried salary - they should be offering you the job on the basis that you are the best candidate and this doesn't necessarily mean cheapest. You just can't be pushy - ask the question, if the answer is no, ask how often pay reviews take place, then think seriously. If you can afford to take the job, great, but don't accept it if you are immediately going to start looking around for something else that pays more. Hope this helps, good luck!!

[Tweed]

Money motivated? That's the only reason I turn up for work. I think it's naive and arrogant for employers to think otherwise.

[Sasha13]

I mean purely money motivated - most people are money motivated. Not everyone would switch jobs just because another employer offered them more cash.

[Tweed]

Yeah, I suppose so. It's a bit of a balance between the salary and getting a job you dislike the least.