I need help negotiatingGood evening, everyone! During the interview (in Seattle), they had asked when my start date could be and I stated 5 weeks and they said it was ok. I stated 5 weeks because I am in the process of putting my home up for sale and I need to move. When I received my offer, they only offered me $65k with no relocation expenses and a somewhat comparable benefits package. But, they told me they wanted me to start in 3 weeks. Also, the offer is contingent upon a background check and drug screen (which I am not worried about). So ... Is it reasonable to ask for both a signing bonus and relocation expenses? I was going to ask offer 2 options: a 3 week start date option and a 4 week start date option. The 3 week start date option would ask for more money in relocation expenses and at least a $3k signing bonus. The 4 week start date option would obviously ask for less money in relocation expenses. Is it also reasonable to ask for a start date for 3-4 weeks from the date of clearance of the background check and drug screen? THANKS! I need to submit the counter offer ASAP. I think you may be asking a lot. Does it make sense to relocate without assistance? If not, tell them it doesn't. You may be walking away from the offer if you do so you have to weigh just how hard you push back. Before "submitting" a counter offer, call them and talk to them. Once you submit a counter offer, the original offer is gone so it is better to have a "discussion" of the options before putting your requests in writing. First, you don't "ask" for a signing bonus. If the company offers one, they offer it, but a prospective employee doesn't ask for one. Do as Chet says. Call them up and explain that these terms are somewhat problematic for you from a logistics standpoint, and ask them for areas that could be negotiated. Talk to them--don't just go back to them with an arbitrary package that may not even approach reality. And, if they need you in 3 weeks, and you can get some concession out of them, e.g., some relocation money, then go in 3 weeks, or 4 if they'll wait that long. No company (or very few) is going to wait for you to sell your home if they need you before then. People leave their homes up for sale and go to their new jobs all the time. In fact, it is pretty standard procedure to put your home up for sale, and move into temporary housing in your new location until it sells. Whatever you do, put a reasonable price on it so it sells FAST. We just bought a home at way less than "market" value because the relocating sellers put too high a price on it to begin with. Sat on the market for months & months. ... I am in real estate, and can't say I've ever dealt with a relocation situation in which a person was able to stay "back home" until the sale was complete and they could move their stuff directly from one house to another without taking some temporary housing. Most of the time the trailing spouse, if there is one, stays behind as long as possible to wrap up. If there is no spouse, then you have to find a real estate broker who specializes in relocations and can manage the property for you till it sells. Hope this helps. I fully agree with both Chet and Anne Marie. Politely ask for some clarification of the difference between what you were told and what' s in the letter. Don' t ask for a signing bonus, it just doesn' t work that way; they' re offered but they' re never requested. Then ask what' s contained in their relocation package and, if they don' t have one and it' s not realistic for you to make the move without help, you may have to decline their offer or at least ask them if there' s any way they can provide some assistance to you with the move. With regard to the start date, I think you can ask if the amount of time is negotiable - assuming you get a logical explanation for the difference between what you were told and what' s in the offer letter. Hope this helps. I am unclear why you think there is any possibility of relocation at all here. Have you asked them if they would consider that? Or are you just assuming that you can get some? | |
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