How do I turn a competing job offer into a raise without looking like a jerk?
December 11, 2010 11:41 AM Subscribe
Last week, one of my clients took me out to lunch and offered me a job right there on the spot. I was flattered, but I probably won't take their offer because I'm pretty happy where I am. The thing is, they were offering me more money. How do I let my current employer know that they're not paying me what I'm worth?
My client didn't explicitly state a salary for the new position, but said it would be more than I'm making now. A firm salary would come after a few meetings and interviews. I don't want to take it all the way to a formal offer. It seems disingenuous and I would risk messing up the good working relationship we have.
My current job lets me be more creative than this other position and I like the people I work with now. I'd miss them. But I do feel that I am not being paid enough. I'm also not inclined to issue an ultimatum since I don't have any plans on leaving. I'd just like them to know that I'm a "hot commodity" right now. Has anybody ever been in a similar position?
My client didn't explicitly state a salary for the new position, but said it would be more than I'm making now. A firm salary would come after a few meetings and interviews. I don't want to take it all the way to a formal offer. It seems disingenuous and I would risk messing up the good working relationship we have.
My current job lets me be more creative than this other position and I like the people I work with now. I'd miss them. But I do feel that I am not being paid enough. I'm also not inclined to issue an ultimatum since I don't have any plans on leaving. I'd just like them to know that I'm a "hot commodity" right now. Has anybody ever been in a similar position?
1. Without the formal offer, you don't know that your salary would be better, and you cannot compare your benefits now vs. your potential benefits.
2. If I were trying to hire anyone, I'd tell them that they'd be making more than they're making now.
3. It's hard to place a value on working a job that leaves you even partially happy.
That all said, I've been in this situation more than once. Usually, when it came up, I mentioned it to my manager, in a "oh gosh, would you believe this? I can't believe someone would try to steal me away, given that I'm so happy here" kind of way. Last year I had a job offer the day before my annual review, and I mentioned it to the head of my department. He offered me an additional raise on the spot.
On the other hand, someone else at my company pulled something similar, and was fired a couple of hours later. So: be careful.
If you're unhappy with your salary, address that. Many companies will not respond well if they feel they're being strong-armed into upping your pay. Request a meeting, present them with your triumphs from this year, and say what sort of increase you want. If they're not going to work with you - well, you know that you have somewhere else to turn.
posted by punchtothehead at 11:54 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
2. If I were trying to hire anyone, I'd tell them that they'd be making more than they're making now.
3. It's hard to place a value on working a job that leaves you even partially happy.
That all said, I've been in this situation more than once. Usually, when it came up, I mentioned it to my manager, in a "oh gosh, would you believe this? I can't believe someone would try to steal me away, given that I'm so happy here" kind of way. Last year I had a job offer the day before my annual review, and I mentioned it to the head of my department. He offered me an additional raise on the spot.
On the other hand, someone else at my company pulled something similar, and was fired a couple of hours later. So: be careful.
If you're unhappy with your salary, address that. Many companies will not respond well if they feel they're being strong-armed into upping your pay. Request a meeting, present them with your triumphs from this year, and say what sort of increase you want. If they're not going to work with you - well, you know that you have somewhere else to turn.
posted by punchtothehead at 11:54 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
mentioning this will forever change your relationship with your employer.
If you want a raise, and feel it is merited, ask for one. Bringing up the other job sounds a bit like blackmail or a threat...
posted by HuronBob at 12:47 PM on December 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
If you want a raise, and feel it is merited, ask for one. Bringing up the other job sounds a bit like blackmail or a threat...
posted by HuronBob at 12:47 PM on December 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
You can't really use a job offer as a bargaining chip if you're not willing to actually take that other job. It sounds like what you're really saying is that the extra money isn't actually worth what you would be giving up.
posted by emumimic at 1:42 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by emumimic at 1:42 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
If I was your boss, I would want to know that someone is talking to you and that you decided to "stay loyal" to the company. I would be somewhat unhappy to hear from the client that s/he tried to hire you away and not have heard it from you first. Maybe you should make a speech similar to what punchtothehead suggested. I think I'd put it on the level of "Hey I just wanted to let you know that XYZ has offered me a job and I told them that I was really happy here." This lets them hear it from you, know that you aren't looking behind their back and maybe gives them a reason to consider offering you more pay because of your loyalty.
posted by Old Geezer at 1:58 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Old Geezer at 1:58 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
The only thing that's ever worked for me was polite brinksmanship. "For the following reasons, I'd like to adjust my salary." ... "No? OK. Well thank you for all the opportunities to contribute to this team, but I'd like to give you two weeks' notice. My last day will be X." And even this only works if you have a real job offer in-hand. Preferably from a competitor that annoys the shit out of your current boss. Good luck!
posted by Buffaload at 2:02 PM on December 11, 2010
posted by Buffaload at 2:02 PM on December 11, 2010
Just because a client offered you more money doesn't mean you're being underpaid. You said it yourself: you're going to turn the offer down. That means 'something' about where you work now has enough value that it makes your current job worth more, all things considered.
posted by 2oh1 at 2:36 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by 2oh1 at 2:36 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
"I'm also not inclined to issue an ultimatum since I don't have any plans on leaving. I'd just like them to know that I'm a "hot commodity" right now."
Keep in mind that one job offer doesn't make you a hot commodity. It's just one offer. What if another doesn't come along for a long time?
Only risk messing up your current job if you have an equal or hopefully better offer. It's easy to end up with a fatter wallet and a miserable career.
posted by 2oh1 at 2:43 PM on December 11, 2010
Keep in mind that one job offer doesn't make you a hot commodity. It's just one offer. What if another doesn't come along for a long time?
Only risk messing up your current job if you have an equal or hopefully better offer. It's easy to end up with a fatter wallet and a miserable career.
posted by 2oh1 at 2:43 PM on December 11, 2010
Taking a client's employee out for lunch and trying to recruit them is sleazy. You don't want to work for a sleazy employer, do you? This is not how these things work in an ethical business relationship. If you are happy where you are, but feel that you have earned a raise, say so. But leave the other offer out, that is a very dangerous road. The fact that an underhanded operator tried to recruit you does not, in fact, make you a "hot commodity". If you are, you should easily be able to find an honest employer wiling to pay you more by conducting a normal and ethical job search.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 3:08 PM on December 11, 2010
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 3:08 PM on December 11, 2010
The only thing that's ever worked for me was polite brinksmanship. "For the following reasons, I'd like to adjust my salary." ... "No? OK. Well thank you for all the opportunities to contribute to this team, but I'd like to give you two weeks' notice. My last day will be X." And even this only works if you have a real job offer in-hand. Preferably from a competitor that annoys the shit out of your current boss. Good luck!
That is very good advice- using a job offer to squeeze more money from an employer is a sort of appeal to authority. They should give you money because that's what you are or aren't worth, and that's it.
(Even though the other offer thing works all the time and most employers probably think nothing of it.)
posted by gjc at 5:32 PM on December 11, 2010
That is very good advice- using a job offer to squeeze more money from an employer is a sort of appeal to authority. They should give you money because that's what you are or aren't worth, and that's it.
(Even though the other offer thing works all the time and most employers probably think nothing of it.)
posted by gjc at 5:32 PM on December 11, 2010
Nthing that this will only work if you're actually willing to go. Usually, this opportunity to play employers against each other comes up when you interview for several different jobs of equal appeal to you, and you get more than one offer.
As for your client being sleazy for trying to recruit you, this happens all the time, and you are not a bad person for taking an offer like that. Given all of the advantages an employer has in a relationship with an employee, it's not all that unfair that they should have to compete with each other to the benefit of an employee every so often.
posted by ignignokt at 8:41 PM on December 11, 2010
As for your client being sleazy for trying to recruit you, this happens all the time, and you are not a bad person for taking an offer like that. Given all of the advantages an employer has in a relationship with an employee, it's not all that unfair that they should have to compete with each other to the benefit of an employee every so often.
posted by ignignokt at 8:41 PM on December 11, 2010
Best answer: I had a fantastic relationship with my boss. Enough that when I was being offered a job at a place I knew I didn't want to work at but that was sure to pay a lot more plus could offer me some training opportunities that I wouldn't get in my current job, I went and asked for her advice. She told me to go to the interview and see what they offered me. When I had a number, she bettered it, and gave me time to pursue a degree. So, depending on your relationship with your current employer, it might be worth it just to have a chat with her/him.
posted by bardophile at 10:54 PM on December 11, 2010
posted by bardophile at 10:54 PM on December 11, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Look at it like this: you might be a hot commodity to *them*, but not so much to your employer. If you go, they might lose this client's business. Or, they don't lose the business, but they could hire someone making the same as you are making now to do your work. Or, if they pay you more their profitability goes down and what's the point of buying your loyalty if it makes them less money?
Your downside seems to be much bigger than their downside.
(Also, does your client really know how much you make? Clients usually have no idea what people make.)
posted by gjc at 11:50 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]