Negotiating for more vacationI am in the process of changing jobs and have just recently received the official offer from the new company I am planning to join. I have already made it clear to the new employer that I would like the position, but have not had an opportunity to discuss all the specific details of the offer. I am completely happy with most of the benefits, including salary, health care, etc.; however, I am not happy with the vacation time. They offered two weeks. The job I am currently at gives me 3 weeks, with a fourth week to be added in one year once I reach my 5 year anniversary. I would like to try and negotiate for more vacation time, as work life balance is extremely important to me; however, I am worried that I have lost all leverage I had by the fact that I have verbally communicate my intent to accept the offer. I would be happy negotiating an extra week of vacation to start, with the possibility to move to four weeks after possibly a year of quality performance. Any suggestions on the best way to go about doing this, and what angles I might be able to play in order to make this good not only for me but for my new company also? Is there anything else such as personal days, floating holidays, etc with the new company that would get your more towards that 3 weeks you' re speaking of? My soon-to-be-ex-company has 2 weeks, but 3 personal days (2 bonus ones for perfect attendance/no sick), and 3 or 4 floating holidays. That might make up the difference without you having to negotiate anything. Since you' re starting a new job, whatever vacation time you had previously earned doesn' t count at all with regard to the policy-set time new employees receive in a new job. At most, you can politely ask if the vacation time is negotiable and see what they say. But I wouldn' t push the point if the answer is "no." Keep in mind what you' re asking the new employer to do - you' re asking to be paid for another week of NOT WORKING before you' ve even demonstrated that you can do the job! It' s OK to ask, but if the answer is no, I think you have to accept it and still do the best job you can and earn more time off based on your performance. Your only other alternative is to ask for the extra week as an unpaid leave of absence. Hope this helps. Really, you cannot expect to change jobs and get the same amount of vacation time as you have with your current company. But, as Paul says, you can certainly politely ask. If they say no, then it's no. And, there is no way in he!! you will get 4 weeks of paid vacation in your second year of working there even if you manage to negotiate a 3rd week coming in. If you get that 3rd week, thank your lucky starts and don't even think about asking for that 4th week... You might find yourself without a job. BTW, I am totally with you in terms of work/life balance. So, if you're due to get 4 weeks vaca at your current job plus whatever holiday/sick/personal days off you get, why would you want to change jobs? Given that time off is very important to you in that life/work balance. For some reason, which I agree with, negotiating for more salary is fair game! Everyone is entitled to as much money as they can get. CAPITALISM baby! But when people try to negotiate more vacation it spells SLACKER! Here is a guy who didnt want more money but he wanted more vacation! He has not worked here evenm one day and he is thinking vacation. "But when people try to negotiate more vacation it spells SLACKER!" Patently not true, in reality. I really don' t blame someone who has 3 weeks' vacation being unhappy about getting 2 at a new job, but reality also is that an employer' s perception of the employee who wants to negotiate on vacation time may be that of slacker. If one doesn' t want to give up accrued vacation time over and above the norm, then one shouldn' t be looking to switch jobs. Nothing wrong with wanting more vaca time, but, sadly, in America our culture simply does not think of time off as valuable. We (collectively) do not understand the need for downtime, getting away from work, spending more time with family, etc. And those of us who hold more with the European vision of work/life balance are often seen as unmotivated, lazy, slackers... Also not true; many of us just prefer to work to live, not live to work. But it' s expected by employers that we live to work. So you really cannot go into a new job and ask to get paid for not working! Everyone is ENTITLED to as much money as they can get? How about, "Everyone is entitled to EARN as much money as they can?" I did he same like you, I get the job, we negotiate salary, and same benefits, and I asked soem details one the benefits and my boss cancel the deal because of that! So take care of asking after closing the deal, or the negotiation, in special vacation! Maybe you are more lucky, if you try let us know! Good luck and best wishes! | |
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