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Negotiating after signing an offer letter


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I was offered this nice permanent position at a stable, long lasting financial company last week. I signed the offer, and right now, they’re just going through the background check. I’m starting in 1 ½ weeks. 

I had very smooth, easy interviews with them. They were very quick in the interview process, the interviews were great, the guy who would be my boss is great. I feel the role would be fun and challenging.

Even though I already accepted the offer, I went on a few other interviews that were already scheduled, just in case.

An interview I went on yesterday was a temp to perm position at a start-up, the office has about 14 people in it, I have always liked the idea of start-ups, but never had the chance to work at one.

They just made me an offer this morning.

The pay as a temp would be about the same as the job I already accepted the offer for. However, when I go perm, which they claim would be in about a month, the pay would go up $12K.

They want to know this morning whether or not I accept it. I’m not sure why I’m not given much time to accept the offer.

I don’t know, I already accepted the other offer, and although the pay is lower, I feel I should stick with the original offer. I figured, hopefully I can eventually make a bigger salary eventually with this company. 

Should I try to negotiate with the first company? Is that ok to do that even though I already signed the offer letter? I don’t want them to then come back and rescind the offer. 

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You accepted the offer.  For you to change now will cause the employer to conclude that that you are flakey, unreliable & don't keep your word and/or don't understand the concept of a contract.  I wouldn't want an employee like that.

Take the "bird in the hand" -- this job with the guaranteed permanency, rather then some promise of permanent employment because that other company could easily say you are not a good fit & there would you be?  

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i'm with @d0nnivain with this.   A start up can be good... but I've also seen A LOT of them who offer temp to full.... and they hardly EVER give the full position. They run that game because of money.  The offer a very nice pay for the full to get the temp... and in the mean time, you don't get benefits, or some other perks since you are temp. Not to mention... since you are temp... they can let you go for ANY reason they like.    Stick with the real offer in the stable company.

 

Oh... and you don't get to renegotiate a contract.  My current job is setting up contracts, and when people start playing games... I just dump their contract and find someone who can do what I need. Remember... there are more of YOU out there with a big company.

Edited by Blind-Sided
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Permanent position means stability and Im guessing in your case some measure of benefits. I place added value to that. I hire Temps and I also cut them loose as well when I am done with them.   I pay more for them per hour than my own people but I don't have to pay taxes, medical or there down time.

To answer your question I can only answer what I personally would do if you came to me to renegotiate, first I would think that's some nerve and then I would say good bye and good luck at your Temp job. 

Edited by Rockdad
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On 2/27/2020 at 4:55 PM, Malin889 said:

They want to know this morning whether or not I accept it. I’m not sure why I’m not given much time to accept the offer.

In my experience, start-ups often have questionable procedures. Like wanting an answer on the spot. I say s - - ew them.

On 2/27/2020 at 4:55 PM, Malin889 said:

when I go perm, which they claim would be in about a month, the pay would go up $12K.

This would be believable only if it's part of your contract, and there's a chance they're not going to write it down. I was offered an excellent position as temp on the promise that after a few months, after the company's merge, I would be hired permanently. It never happened. I left.

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I feel I should stick with the original offer.

You feel? An agreement is an agreement and a signature is a signature. If you back down from it, you're not to be trusted both professionally and more in general as a person (ethically).

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Should I try to negotiate with the first company?

No. It wouldn't be professional. The interview step was the right time to negotiate, but maybe someone else would have taken your place. You accepted a job with certain tasks for a given pay. It's binding. You back off, they'll hire someone else. At least that's what I would do, because I wouldn't be trusting you anymore.

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Is that ok to do that even though I already signed the offer letter? I don’t want them to then come back and rescind the offer.

That's what most likely's going to happen. Any change to the original offer must be approved. And companies have their procedures to do that (that might mean going through like 4 different steps). You'd force them to do it all over again, at that point better starting from scratch with someone else.

Edited by justwhoiam
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sothereiwas
3 hours ago, justwhoiam said:

You feel? An agreement is an agreement and a signature is a signature. If you back down from it, you're not to be trusted both professionally and more in general as a person (ethically).

Employment is at will and by consent. OP can also quit (or be fired) any time. It's a free country. Without knowing how close the accepted offer is to the other potential salary ($12K a month was stated for the startup as a permanent employee) it's really hard to say, but generally speaking I would take the offer I'd already accepted, but since the start date is still in the future it's not a huge deal. I've interviewed a LOT of people and it's not unheard of for them to change their minds on accepting an offer. The market is tough. 

Either choice is OK, and if the second offer feels like a better fit I would consider it. 

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5 hours ago, sothereiwas said:

Employment is at will and by consent. OP can also quit (or be fired) any time. It's a free country.

That's not what the OP asked.

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Without knowing how close the accepted offer is to the other potential salary ($12K a month was stated for the startup as a permanent employee)

OP wrote "However, when I go perm, which they claim would be in about a month, the pay would go up $12K", which I understand as "would be given a raise of $12,000". Otherwise it'd be "the monthly pay would go up to $12,000". Not sure if it was poorly expressed or I'm misinterpreting.

 

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sothereiwas
57 minutes ago, justwhoiam said:

That's not what the OP asked.

OP wrote "However, when I go perm, which they claim would be in about a month, the pay would go up $12K", which I understand as "would be given a raise of $12,000". Otherwise it'd be "the monthly pay would go up to $12,000". Not sure if it was poorly expressed or I'm misinterpreting.

 

Yeah I probably read that wrong, a raise of $12K a month seems like a good deal though. 

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