i need advice
Hi everyone, i was offered a receptionist position with a pay range they mentioned of $10-14/hr. I got the job but they are only offering $10. I was hoping for $14 since I have a baby and the extra $3 would definitely help. How can I properly negotiate my wage? I have over 3 years of clerical experience and other qualifications as well.Thanks for the advice and I will keep you guys posted on the outcome :)
I' d have to ask, have you considered the cost of daycare vs. making $10/hr? I have 1 child in daycare, and have found that by the time you pay for daycare, extra gas for the car in going back & forth to work, extra clothing expense, more "convenience" foods at the grocery store because you no longer have as much time to cook, etc., that you cannot make any profit on $10/hr. I recently turned down a $12/hr job because in the summer, when I would have to also have my older child in daycare, I would have ended up making about $30/week! Perhaps you have childcare arrangements that do make $10/hr profitable, but it' s unlikely your "profit" would make working worth it. I work just 3 days a week, so my situation is somewhat different, but since I only pay for 3 days/wk at daycare, the numbers are probably proportional. In my case I was lucky and they called me back with a better offer, one that made it worthwhile to work outside the home. In any event, you can simply ask, tactfully & politely, of course, if the salary is negotiable. If so, and you feel you can, by your prior experience and how well you meet the requirements of this job, ask for more. Not sure you can expect the $14/hr, but if you can get them to $12 or $13, it would sure help! I know, with a baby, it' s hard. Every little expense adds up. You' re right, $10 is low. I will try to negotiate politely. I' ll let you know about the outcome. Thanks again :) It just may not make financial sense to accept a job at $10 and that is how you can approach it with the employer. Remember, however, it isn' t YOUR needs that determine what the job pays. There are probably people in the job market that don' t have the child care and commuting expenses that you may have and $10 will suit them just fine. With absolutely no disrespect intended, what it costs you to care for your child really isn' t the employer' s problem. On the other hand, I think you can politely ask if their initial salary offer is negotiable and see what happens. If it is, and you' re asked what salary you have in mind, I' d counter with a range by saying something like, "I was anticipating an offer in the $14 to $15 per hour range," BUT the basis on which you should do your negotiating has to be on the experience, training, skills, past job performance, and/or education you have that will make the job worth that much more to the employer. You' ll be far more successful negotiating a higher salary if you can demonstrate how the job will be worth more to the employer with YOU in it! Make sense? Not to offend but some people want to get back in the workforce or remain in the workforce for their own personal fulfillment and do not desire to be stay at home even with a low profit margin. Staying out of the full time work force can seem cost effective, but trying to get back in when the kids "get older" can prove difficult. Some women find once they stop working they don't want ot go back...and the "end up" having more kids. I just feel for these women, as their marriage has a greater than 50% chance of resulting in divorce, they will not be able to fend for or take care of themselves and their children later on if that happens. I think 10$ an hour for anything in a professional setting where you wear dress clothes is low.
"I just feel for these women, as their marriage has a greater than 50% chance of resulting in divorce, they will not be able to fend for or take care of themselves and their children later on if that happens. I think 10$ an hour for anything in a professional setting where you wear dress clothes is low." Cheese, I totally agree with your 2nd point, and totally disagree with your first point. There are things a stay-at-home parent can do (dads stay at home, too, you know) to make sure they retain marketable skills. And it is by no means a given that if a mom or dad who has been out of the workforce for several years won't be able to fend for themselves. This is a fallacy perpetuated by.... well, by whom I'm not sure. Yeah, it happens, but doesn't mean it always does, or that it needs to. And frankly, my own personal experience among friends and family is that the higher divorce rate has occured in the families in which both parents work full time. Too much stress on everybody, or not enough togetherness, or who knows what? But I do know that there are more intact marriages among people I personally know who have one full-time wage earner and one p/t worker, or one whose only job is to manage the household. In case you might not know this, running a household and caring for children is a full-time job.... I'm a professional who has chosen to stay home with my kids, for the benefit of the entire family. I have worked from the home for several years, but had no problem whatsoever landing a job when I chose to look for another one. Got the first one I interviewed for. I made that clear in my 2nd post to you--you can' t negotiate on the basis of your costs in working--you must do it on how valuable you are in the job, what you bring to it, etc. Anyone who stays at home with kids needs outside stimulation and a job can provide that. My wife would have paid an employer to work for them after spending day after day with my three kids (not that they are bad kids, they' re just KIDS). So call it "personal fulfillment" or "keeping one' s sanity"... getting out of the house for $10 may not be a bad idea. | |
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