Belated Thank You Note

Question
In July, I accepted a "contingent" job offer from a prospective employer. The primary contingency was that the company would be awarded a contract for some work at a local facility. The time frame for the award is expected to be this month. I thought it was a good idea to call them and follow up, but was previously advised not to do so. However, I still think otherwise. Continue reading...

Follow-up on Verbal Job Offer

Question
I got a verbal job offer a week ago; we never discussed the salary or the benefits. The man in charge said I will hear from the human resource department. How do I proceed?
--Margaret
Read my answer...

Follow-Up on Job Interview

Question
I went on a great interview, got a job offer, and told her that I had other options to consider and wanted to do a little research before I made my decision because I would be relocating. She encouraged this, and I left things on a positive note. I told her I would be in touch with her by the end of next week (the interview was on Thursday).
Continue reading...

What to Reveal About Multiple Job Offers

Question
I have received an offer from a corporation (Company A) that I've decided to turn down for several reasons (too far from home, not enough pay to make me move, a step backward in career seniority).

Before declining this offer, I had informed another prospective employer (Company B) - after my second interview with them - that I had another offer on the table, in hopes of speeding up the decision-making process. The position with Company B is ideal, and I feel very good about the impending decision, of which I should learn next Monday.

I wondered if I should tell them that I've declined Company A's offer, and if so, how do I go about it? Should I wait until I hear back from them, or send them an email first? I want to be sure they aren't under the impression that I might have accepted the other offer.
---Pat

Answer
by Richard Yadon, CPC, President/CEO

I would not communicate to Company B any details or circumstances of your opportunity with Company A. First, it is really none of their business. Secondly, they need to make the best offer to you independent of any offers from another organization. If the offer is acceptable and more preferential than Company A then accept Company B's offer. If you are working with a recruiter then they will handle these details for you and do the negotiating under your guidance.

Since you have already told Company B about the other offer there is no need to mention it again – unless they ask you. If you keep bringing it to their attention they might think you are trying to pressure them. Again, your recruiter will be communicating your availability to Company B. If you are not using a recruiter, it is acceptable and appropriate to call your contact at Company B and inquire as to the status of your candidacy. If they ask about the other offer, you need to tell them the truth. Let them know if it was not acceptable to you and that you are open to consider another offer they might extend. Leave it at that.

One other thought…when you are at this stage of an offer I would avoid communicating via email. You want to continue to build the personal connection between yourself and Company B. Always try to speak directly with your contact there if you can.

Ask for Time Off Before Starting Job

Question
I am currently unemployed but have a 2nd interview for a job. I also have a friend coming to visit me from overseas in 10 days for 2 weeks. Would I completely kill my chances of being hired by telling my potential employer (who knows I am not currently working) that I can either not start for a few weeks or that I need some time off just after starting my new role? As this friend is coming quite soon, I don't feel it’s something I could mention right after being hired either. How do you handle these pre-arranged life engagements while interviewing for jobs?
Thanks,
---J

Answer
by Ronnie Ann, Work Coach

Hi J!
Good question. You’re smart to think this through, since things like this can leave a very bad impression unless handled correctly. The good news is, depending on the type of job, they may actually have allowed for flexibility as to when the job starts because an employer understands that most people have a real life and other obligations. Of course, if this is a job where they need coverage immediately, then that answers your question.

Your best bet is to go through the entire interview process and see if you get the job offer. When they bring up the start date, if they tell you there is an absolute date with no give – then again, you have your answer. But if they ask you when you can start, that’s the time to ask if it’s ok to start the day after your friend leaves. No need to tell them the details -- just tell them you have prior personal commitments that you’d really like to take care of if at all possible. If they say they need you earlier but sound fairly friendly about the whole thing, you might try asking nicely if there is any way you could have a couple of days off or maybe leave early on some days to take care of those prior commitments. (Asking for the whole two weeks after starting probably would be a deal breaker – and if not, it could start you off in a very bad light. I’d stay away from that one if I were you.)

If you really want this job and they need you to start before your friend leaves, then be prepared to spend time with your friend during non-work hours and just chalk it up to bad timing. I know that sucks, but these things happen. If it’s a good job, do what you can to start off on the right foot.

Of course, you may not want to work for a boss/company that shows absolutely no flexibility and reacts badly to your even mentioning your needs, so pay particular attention to how they react. As long as you’ve asked politely and shown that you are flexible, a good employer should at least respond in kind – even if their answer is “no”.

Everyone has a personal life and may have some loose ends to tie up before starting a new job. On that point, I found this on a blog called Overpronator:

Everyone has a personal life that exists separately from their job. You can't schedule your cousin's bar mitzvah around a product launch, and you can't clear your calendar before you take a new job.

So when you're figuring out which job to take, be upfront about what sort of time you expect to be taking for yourself. If you want Tuesdays off for kickboxing class, then say so. If you have a vacation planned for two weeks after the proposed start date, then say that. Some jobs have unmovable start dates, and sometimes your personal life will preclude taking a job.

That's OK. Why bother with the absurd job-interview song-and-dance where you pretend that your personal life doesn't matter, and that only getting the job matters? You wouldn't want to work for anyone who had that attitude, so why pretend to have it yourself?

But assuming you like the job and the people and yet they can’t accommodate any of your requests, you probably want to play it smart and just go ahead and meet their start date. There are often good business reasons why an employer needs you to start sooner than you’d like…if that’s the case here, show them you’re a team player and come in 100% committed to doing the best job you can. Don’t feel like you’ve lost anything – you’ve gained a job and a new adventure that can lead anywhere!

Good luck getting the offer and good luck working this all out.

Negotiate the Job Offer

Question
I recently received a voicemail regarding a job offer that I interviewed for but I
don't even know what the pay is since I never asked. How do you bring that into the discussion?
--- Shirley

Answer
by Joel Garfinkle, Career Coach

Ideally, you don’t want to be the first one to mention a salary figure because it might be lower than what they are willing to give. Based on your situation, I recommend that you tell the interview the following:

“You have made me a job offer without stating a salary range. I am interested in the position and know that my skills match the position, but I don’t know what the salary is for the job. Could you give me a clearer understanding of what you have budgeted for this position.”

Now the negotiation begins. Know that the first figure out of the employer's mouth is the lowest. Once you have the amount, you want to present the employer with your amount and it needs to be what you feel you’re worth. Your stated number should be at the highest of your range because once you say a number, you can’t go higher. Your objective in bringing up the salary is to get the company to pay you the best salary for the work you’ll be doing.

Joel Garfinkle is the founder of www.DreamJobCoaching.com He has been providing individualized and customized coaching for executives, managers and supervisors for 10 years.

Salary Offer Not Enough

Question
My question is in regards to negotiations. I have interviewed with a potential new employer and all contact has gone very well. Early in the interview process I was twice asked what my salary requirements were and I clearly stated them to both my initial HR contact and the senior HR manager. I was told both times what I was asking was within the position range--in the ballpark.

I had a final interview yesterday with the CFO which went well and I was contacted by the HR head today. Their offer is 10k less than my minimum requirement. I stated to the person that we had discussed it previously and I was assured by him it would not be an issue/problem. He then stated that after yesterday's interview, he spoke with the dept. mgr. as to how much he would be willing to pay for the position and the 10k lower amount was his answer. Mr. HR then said he might be able to get him to go 5k more but that would be it.

How do I negotiate this, or do I just tell them to forget it? As an aside, I am currently employed with a good company, just in a position that cannot lead to further advancement, but I get a steady salary increase every year. In the new position, I would incur additional commuting costs, which would lead to the increased salary being equal to what my next raise here would be. Oh yeah, I’m 45 .
-- John (confused in NJ)

Answer
by Marc Effron, VP, Talent Management, Avon Products

Hi John – This reminds me an experience I had many years ago when interviewing with a major hotel chain. After an exhaustive interview process, they offered me $10,000 less than my then current salary. Their logic was: “Because you said you got your raise recently, this is still more than you made before your raise.”

John, you’ve answered your own question. If the offer is below your minimum -- end of story. Also, if they’re this cheap and disorganized right now, it won’t be any better when bonus/merit increase time rolls around. They don’t deserve you and you’ve just proved you’re employable, so move on.

It’s sad that yet another HR department has hurt the reputation of this field. Their job is to understand the budget and job requirements before interviewing. Before your next interview process, you might want to double-check that they’ve done this.

I hope that helps!

Marc Effron is Vice President, Talent Management for Avon Products. He has authored two books (including Leading the Way) and numerous articles about leadership. He is a frequent speaker at industry events.

Susan Ireland’s Two Cents
John, when you negotiated your compensation, did you consider the entire salary and benefits package? If you’re still interested in the job, get out your calculator and add up the value of the health insurance, vacation pay, 401k benefits, gym membership, etc. to see if, in fact, the job offer is what you want. To get help thinking about all those perks, check out Negotiating Total Compensation Can Be Totally Awesome by Barbara Safani.

Job Lounger, do you have a question? Email (joblounge@aol.com) it to me and I’ll post your question and an expert’s answer here in The Job Lounge.

Follow-Up After a Verbal Job Offer

Question
My prospective employer called me two weeks ago to let me know that my reference checks went very well and that the job is mine. She mentioned that the HR department is putting together my salary packet and offer letter. I have not heard anything since them. Can you give me a sample letter to write to her to find out next steps? Thanks.
-- Doris

Answer
by Honey Smith, Professional Life Coach

Congratulations on being offered the job! It's understandable that you're anxious to seal the deal and move forward.

There is no exact right or wrong answer to your question. A lot depends on the standard hiring practices for the industry you're in, the kind of job you accepted, and the relationship between the people who hired you and the HR department responsible for following up. No wonder it's a bit of an art to know where and when to check up on them!

When you're looking for work it's easy to forget that potential employers invest a lot in finding the right candidate and want to make it work. So, it's worth taking a moment to reflect:

• Do I have reason to be concerned that they won't follow through on their promise?

• If so, what can I do about it?

• Who in the company is likely to give me useful information about the offer and how will I contact them?

• Do I understand how hiring happens in this company and in this industry? Given these standards, is my experience with this verbal job offer all that unusual?

• What does this company's treatment of me tell me about how it operates? How do I feel about that? How will I use this information?

You didn't say whether you know and already have agreed to what's coming in the offer. If you have not already agreed upon a salary and benefits package, you can use this waiting period to prepare a response. For example: What offer will meet your expectations? Did you clearly communicate your salary and benefits needs? If you will need to negotiate further, what will you say?

In the end, you can't read minds. If you've considered the above factors and feel confident about the sincerity of their offer, why not call them with a brief and enthusiastic reminder?

Honey Smith, Ed.M. is a Professional Life Coach who helps job seekers fast forward their careers, master life transitions and fulfill their potential.

Susan Ireland’s Two Cents
If you decide to write a letter, create one that both thanks the manager and follows up on the verbal job offer. Take a look at these sample thank-you-for-the-job-offer letters and use them for inspiration for your own masterpiece.

Job Lounger, do you have a question? Email (joblounge@aol.com) it to me and I’ll post your question and an expert’s answer here in The Job Lounge.

Does Health Insurance Pay?

Question
I have been offered a job that offers health insurance but I do not need it because I am covered under my spouse's plan. I'm wondering what is a fair compensation for leaving health insurance on the negotiating table. For instance, if the HMO plan the prospective employer offers costs them $5K per year, is it reasonable to expect at least 50% compensation for declining that costly benefit? After all, the employer stands to gain substantial money by not having to pay for my health insurance.
-- Frustrated Negotiator

Answer
by Townsend Belisle, former professional headhunter

The cost of health benefits is a slippery subject. Benefits (and taxes) tend to be the largest factor in cost of employment to a company, so companies keep a close watch.

You are correct to assume that an employer would not compensate an employee the entire cost of providing their health benefit (it is their choice). But asking for a percentage of their cost savings to be applied to your salary is very reasonable. And it is common. People with spouses and partners are typically not employed by the same company as their partner – so the couple will naturally assess the health insurance benefits of both employers and choose the one that suits them best.

Just make sure these negotiations are with the HR or personnel department, and not your direct boss (unless you’re being hired to monitor costs or some other super detail-oriented position). You should be careful that you’re making the right impression with those to whom you will directly report. Your negotiation should stay within the tact of “finishing the final details” rather than “potential trouble-maker.”

Health insurance, to you, is equal to nontaxable income. Health insurance, to your employer, is a benefit for employees (both as an option potentially required by law and to promote employee retention), a cost efficiency (the more employees, the lower cost per employee) and a tax break. So it is not necessarily a full-cost benefit.

Taking these into account, it is fair to leave health insurance on the negotiating table, but don’t expect too much. As a benefit, you may need to understand that most companies see benefits as privilege, an “added bonus,” for your employment - not a right or “sure-thing.” There are no laws to govern this – a company could shut the door on such conversation by simply stating that they have a “policy in place.” Some of the folk at FastWeb feel stronger about this.

You have the right attitude - it never hurts to ask. Saying something in a professional manner, like “I do not intend to take advantage of the health benefits you provide, and for this I would be pleased to receive a modest increase in my salary, given such cost savings to you.”

Bottom line – yes, the health insurance benefit is negotiable. So shoot for the moon and ask for as much additional compensation as you like, just manage your expectations that companies rarely compensate more, and if they do, the increase will not likely be equal to their cost of the benefit.

“He is great who confers the most benefits.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Townsend Belisle is a former advocate for hundreds of talented people. Having played the roles of a recruiter, agent and headhunter, he championed the salary and benefit negotiations that landed all sorts of New Yorkers their dream jobs. This aside, he is not terrifically excited about the benefits package at his day job. His current employer (his favorite to date) seems to have inside knowledge that Townsend and his coworkers are truly enjoying their work and Townsend feels they could be the victims of the classic maneuver, “swindle-the-happy-campers.”

From Susan Ireland
Job Lounger, do you have a question? Email it to me and I’ll post your question and an expert’s answer here in The Job Lounge.