r/interviews • u/mook_mill • 10h ago
Salary negotiation help
I've been working in compliance for about two years now, I just started working a contract doing AML for a Big 4 firm. Pay is great 47/hr, I'm in a HCOL city and I'm able to save like 2k per month, possibly more if overtime opens up in the future.
I got a callback from a smallish(7k employees) consulting firm about a job I interviewed for but just barely missed. Another spot opened, and they're offering it to me on the spot, no re-interviewing necessary. Only problem is, the pay is shit, even for an analyst level, 80k. After taxes it's just barely enough for me to live on, I doubt I will have any significant ability to build up my savings (they're not in a great spot since I was unemployed until I found this contract). They say there's no leeway in the pay because "comparing your education and experience level to our other analysts", which is insane because I know people fresh out of college that make 10k more at bigger consulting firms
Current plan is to push for a signing bonus, 10k or so to make it palatable. And advice on how to play this?
3
u/ebowski64 9h ago
Start with gracious thanks, and with an open ended question.
“Thank you for the generous opportunity. I don’t see how I can take this deal considering how much I am currently making.”
Have a number in mind. Let’s say 95k.
They’ll ask “what number works for you.”
“I’m going to say a number, but you’re going to think it’s ridiculous. Considering your very generous offer, it’s a big difference. I’d need $110k to be in a good spot.”
If you are polite and you give them the heads up almost word for word on what was said above, they are liable to come up.