Negotiating a job compensation

March 13, 2013 8:55 AM

From start up to a larger company-how to negotiate a job offer

My sister recently interviewed for a job with a start up. She was told that there would be no equity/stocks or options as her compensation, only the basics salary, med, 40, to which she didn't object. She still has her final interview next week and it seems they will hire her. She did mention her salary expectation to the HR but no offer has been made or verbally agreed to.

The company got acquired yesterday. As she sees it, the company is now part of a larger org and her duties will increase and her initial negotiation had been with a start up but that has changed. This situation is new to her and she would like to know what she can negotiate to get the best package due to this changed situation.

Thank you

posted by pakora1 to work & money (3 answers total)

As she sees it, the company is now part of a larger org and her duties will increase and her initial negotiation had been with a start up but that has changed. This situation is new to her and she would like to know what she can negotiate to get the best package due to this changed situation.

Unless they've explicitly changed the job requirements, your sister's situation hasn't changed. It wouldn't be advisable for her to go in with new assumptions about increased duties - however, during her final interview, it would be appropriate to ask if they know how this position will be affected during the acquisition.

That said, most likely if they've been acquired, hiring will cease (or will be for temporary positions) until the transition is complete, as there likely will be a reorganization and some positions will be created and terminated in the process. It's not usually advisable to take on full-time, permanent staff in that time if they may be laid off relatively soon.
posted by Rodrigo Lamaitre at 9:02 AM on March 13

At the final interview (if they don't cancel it which they might because of the reasons Rodrigo mentioned above), she should also ask about the possibility of changes in medical plans and benefits since that does change the overall compensation package.
Most likely they will tell her that they are planning on keeping what they have for this year, but she should keep in mind that may change. It might be good for her to do some outside research on what the acquiring company's standard benefits packages are since that might become hers later.

She should also delicately find out about severance packages in case they do hire her and let her go because of the transition. You don't want to be seen as asking how to leave before you're even hired, but it is something she should look for in any paperwork they give her before or after she is hired.
posted by rmless at 9:09 AM on March 13

Until she has an offer letter in hand, there's nothing really to negotiate. She can mention it in the next interview, and there are good/bad ways to go about it.

Given the acquisition, that offer may not be forthcoming.

Larger corporations generally have an HR dept that does the negotiating, and that dept may or may not talk to the hiring managers etc. (Some follow script, some have wiggle room, YMMV).
posted by k5.user at 9:29 AM on March 13 [1 favorite]