Would you undercut salary to get a job?

[Quinch]

All other things being equal, would you offer to take less pay than an employer is offering to get a job and how much less would you take? Would this make you seem too desperate?

[directx]

I would not come out and say 'I would take less money!' for this job as an incentive. It makes you sound worth less and desperate.

 

The way to approach this is to find out the salary range of the position. This should not be secret information. If you want the job and realize there is much competition, you might want to ask for the lower end of the range.

 

Every interview is different. One thing that worked for me was responding with "Well, what does the position pay?" when they asked how much I was looking for. I got much more than what I would have settled for. This was luck though.

 

How much less would I take? Depends on the experience I would be getting for the job. I have taken jobs for less money just because of the experience it would give for future opportunities, and I have been lucky enough where it had always paid off.

 

I make less money now than where I was before, but I am much happier with the responsibilities and experience.

[Art_Critic]

What are the chances for advancement ?

 

If there is a good chance to advance from that position and make more money in the future then I would think it might barring any immediate financial needs that you may have it could be a good thing..

[tanbark813]

Why would you take less than they're offering?? I think it makes you seem both desperate and less valuable. It's kind of like saying, "Nice of you to offer that but I know I'm not worth that much."

[Quinch]

But if you're an employer and you have three candidates who are all equally qualified and experienced but one comes for less money, who are you going to hire?

 

When Wal-mart holds a sale, is that desperate or good business?

[tanbark813]

Well then I don't understand the situation because you said they already offered the money. And comparing yourself to a Wal*MART product on sale isn't a good way to sell your position.

[Art_Critic]

Why would you take less than they're offering?? I think it makes you seem both desperate and less valuable. It's kind of like saying, "Nice of you to offer that but I know I'm not worth that much."

 

Might also depend on how much he needs the job... I agree that what amounts to almost begging isn't the best way to get a job but if you have a family to feed and you think that they are swaying in the favor of the other potential hires then I would think that you have to do what you have to do..

 

Maybe it would be better to try and show in other ways how hard you would work for them..

[bish]

All other things being equal, would you offer to take less pay than an employer is offering to get a job and how much less would you take? Would this make you seem too desperate?

 

No, because if they are offering it to you, then you must have the job already!

 

I think telling them you'd take lesser pay makes you look desperate. I think an employer wants to know they are getting something good for their money. You get what you pay for.

[Trialbyfire]

As an ex-employer, if someone were to offer themselves at less, I would wonder if they were qualified for the position.

 

Make sure you understand what you're worth at going market rates and then value yourself accordingly. Also, why in the world would you be willing to work for a employer who views staff in the same fashion as Walmart? Churn and burn mentality is asking to be abused.

[Quinch]

Okay so Walmart is a bad example. It can be Harrods if you want () but the principle remains - it's just business.

[Kipp]

I can relate to this. Last year I had a good job, great hours and pretty good pay, but I wanted more opportunity and much more money. Well I got it and all the hell you could imagine. I took a position that did nothing but keep my stressed and away from my family. Yeah the money was good but what it did to me overall was horrible. There were so many things promissed to me that never happened. It was 10 months of my life I want to forget. Well I took a job with a huge title and $20,000 dollars less and I must say I am too happy. I leave when I want but get my job done and the stress is gone, but now I can if I choose to when I go to leave I am in a position where I can ask for more money because I am worth it, but I won't be bothered if they expect me to give up my life. So take the pay cut and do what you like and when you do that the money will come. Remember, Oprah did not get into what she is doing because of money, she loved journalism and from there the ball rolled.

[Lishy]

no..................

[Trialbyfire]

Okay so Walmart is a bad example. It can be Harrods if you want () but the principle remains - it's just business.

If it turns into a bidding war over the job, how little are you willing to work for? If everyone practices devaluation of pay to get the job, how little are people willing to work for, when you drive down the market value of the job? Would this not be considered the beginning of the end of being able to make ends meet working in one job?

[norajane]

It was 10 months of my life I want to forget. Well I took a job with a huge title and $20,000 dollars less and I must say I am too happy. I leave when I want but get my job done and the stress is gone, but now I can if I choose to when I go to leave I am in a position where I can ask for more money because I am worth it, but I won't be bothered if they expect me to give up my life. So take the pay cut and do what you like and when you do that the money will come.

 

You took a new job that paid less than what you had been making at the other job. That's different from offering to take less than they are willing to pay.

 

Employers, especially if they are not a small business, have already budgeted for how much they believe they need to pay for the position based on the market, and the applicant's skills and experience.

 

Offering to take less makes no difference to the hiring manager since the amount is already budgeted and they aren't the ones who are going to care anyway...it's the company's money, not theirs.

 

It just makes you look desperate, or unaware of your own worth in the market.

[lindya]

I'd want to know why someone was offering to undercut the salary on offer, and I'd be questioning them pretty thoroughly about that.

 

Some people just genuinely do lack confidence in themselves, and that doesn't necessarily make them a bad bet employee-wise. People can often bloom in the right environment. So if it was just lack of confidence that made them undercut, I wouldn't be ruling them out, though I'd want to know that there was some talent there that should make me have some faith in them, even if they didn't. You can always help a person develop self-confidence, but you can't give them talent.

 

If they explained that they were simply undercutting the competition as some sort of business method, then that's not an explanation I'd like....mainly for the reasons TBF presented. I'd be looking for a professional, not some foot-in-the-door salesperson who was inviting me to rake about in the bargain basement for an employee. I think my gut reaction would also be to feel quite offended and embarrassed by someone offering to work for less than the stated salary. As though they thought I was some Scrooge-like character who was only interested in saving money, rather than in employees' quality of life.

 

I think you'd need to think carefully about making that kind of offer, Quinch.

[monkey00]

It's hard for me to see logic in your question, it doesnt make sense to me. As some have already said, the offered salary is within the company's budget. And in the hiring process, often they are looking for the most qualified candidate - not someone who's willing to do more for less....although in rare instances, if the direct employer (and not some manager) does the hiring process personally, I wouldnt be surprised if he chose that route to get the most bang for the buck.

 

But confidence goes a long way, how much do think is your market worth? How much do you believe you should be making in relation to your years of work experience and know how? How low are you willing to settle for and how high are you aiming for?

 

I suggest you do some research in regards to your field, your years of experience, and what is the average salary range you should be making...and answer the above questions yourself.