Ben didn't get called by Dome Dude yesterday, of course. So Ben called Dome Dude and got his voice mail. Fortunately, Dome Dude sent Ben his offer today.
It's.... not very big.
We need to crunch numbers, but it looks like he may end up making about what he was making before, with less benefits. I guess it's better than a kick in the pants. And, like I told him, would you rather do something you're not interested in for such a small amount, or would you rather do something you like doing for such a small amount? That's basically the choice right now. At least he can sit tight with Dome Dude and get his licensure hours - that's invaluable. And he can keep looking. And when the economy picks up, he may be able to get a better offer with someone else.
So... I might have to still work. Sigh. Oh. And Ben will have to put in 45-hour work weeks - it's required of this job. I've heard that most architecture companies are that way. So. Ben's thinking of counter-offering; is this standard procedure when looking for a job? I told him to talk to my dad and his dad before he did the counter-offering thing. I don't want it to backfire on him. And honestly, at this point, I'd settle for Ben to get a job flipping hamburgers, you know? This isn't so bad. I'll let you know what happens.
2 comments:
Yes, counter-offering is normal. I can't tell you how many times I've countered, and the negotiation has even gone on for weeks sometimes.
That being said, I just started a new job in December. When I countered, they pretty much said, "Too bad, take the offer or leave it." I think in this economy, that's just the sad reality.
I would still counter if I were Ben. They're not going to just yank the offer because of he counters. He could always negotiate a review in 3 or 6 months and lay out the terms of what he thinks he deserves when they review his performance as good, instead of expecting the money right now.
It's tough to know what to do when the economy is so bad. Normally, I would say don't take less than you deserve, but right now something is better than nothing, and you want to weigh the positives against the negatives.
Well I hope that he asks for more money or at least better benefits! Good luck!
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