first job offer and need adviceHey everyone, I finally got the phone call yesterday with an offer from a pharmautical company (pharma sales)! According to a profile of the company in business week for this year (from the web site) "Average annual base salary (excluding overtime, bonus, and other compensation) for entry-level employees hired since Jan. 1, 2006: $55,000 and above Percentage of new entry-level hires since Jan. 1, 2006, with annual base salary in the following ranges: Less than $35,000: 0$35,000 to $39,999: 0$40,000 to $44,999: 0$45,000 to $49,999: 0$50,000 to $54,999: 0$55,000 and above: 100" My offer was 52000, 3k less than what it this profile appears to be offering entry level employees. I know that being entry level and having no pharm. experience, I do not really have anything but a thorough science background (majors in cellular biology and biology) and a little b2b experience( part time in college). Do I just accept the offer for 3k less or question them about the information from the company profile featured in business week One more question? I had told them in my interview that I would start right after graduation (With them telling me to take some time off). I wish I had not said that because he told me I Would start home study May 11 and literally graduation is May 12. I think he just did this beause I said that I wanted to, but since my interview a month ago, I don' t know if that is a great idea, going from a sleepless week of finals right into testing for 6 weeks for training. Any advice Thanks What you cited from the article is slightly contradictory. If the "average annual base salary" is $55K, being offered $52K right out of school sounds like you' re pretty close to the average for someone with no real experience in this field. The little chart you offered suggests that 100% of all entry-level offers were at least $55K or more. Well, that' s not the same thing, as you should know, as saying the AVERAGE annual base salary is $55K. In a simple sentence: I think it would be foolish of you not to accept their offer! Regarding your second point: I think you could, having accepted the job, say that upon reflection, you would like some time between graduation and starting the job and see what the interviewer recommends. Whatever length of time is suggested, I' d agree to it. Hope this helps. 1. A typical salary range in a magazine article has nothing to do with your particular qualifications. Average, does not mean "minimum". It means some are higher, and some are lower. You' re lower. 2. $3000 a year is less than $1 an hour after taxes. 3. Do you REALLY want to throw away this job over $.96 an hour? 4. Pharma Sales is the big "dream job" of the week. It is VERY competative and very difficult to get into as an entry-level candidate with no experience at all. 5. All of that puts you in a terrible position to make any waves. If you don' t want this job, there are tons of people with even more background than you have who do want it. 6. Start the job on time. First off, you made a commitment to do so, secondly, it is training, that' s a good segue from school to work. Third, that' s the real world. Summer vacation doesn' t exist anymore. Fourth, you' ll start your paycheck coming in. Fifth, depending on how they work things, delaying even a few days can really delay when benefits start in many companies. In my company for example (a major employer that you' d know the name of), medical starts the first day of the first month AFTER you complete 30 days of service. So, if you start on April 1, your benefits start on May 1. If you start on April 3rd, your medical doesn' t start until June 1. Every company has their own schedules and rules on things like this but start dates can impact medical, 401(k), seniority, bonuses and all sorts of other stuff. The sooner is always better. You' ve got a good deal, don' t blow it by quibbling. When you' ve got 5-7 years experience in this field, you' ll be in a position to do some negotiating. This is not the time. | |
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