How to Negotiate for Better Compensation After a Low-Pay Job Offer
Lawyers who get a job offer with pay that is less than expected may be able to try for a better pay package by asking a couple questions.
Writing at Law.com, legal search consultants Valerie Fontaine and Roberta Kass caution that for some jobs, pay is not negotiable, and you shouldn’t push for concessions that can’t be made. Associates, for example, should find out if compensation is lockstep or merit-based, since there may be room for negotiation in merit-based systems.
Those who get a low offer that may be negotiable can start by telling the employer they are hesitating because of the compensation. “Then, pause and see how they respond,” Kass and Fontaine say. “If you remain quiet, they might come up with a better offer just to break the silence.”
If that doesn’t work, Kass and Fontaine suggest, telling the employer something along these lines: “I am very flattered and excited about receiving your offer but I was hoping to see something more in the range of $X-Y based on my understanding of the market and, especially, since I can make a valuable contribution to the firm in light of [sell yourself]. How much room do we have for negotiation here?”
Those who find out salary is non-negotiable can ask a different question: “Although the salary component of your offer is not as high as I had anticipated based upon my market research, I am still very interested. Is there anything else here that is negotiable in order to sweeten the package?”
There may be some movement, the article says, in other parts of the job offer, including bonuses, benefits, perks or other terms of the job, such as title, timing of partnership, assurances of certain work, office size or location, telecommuting options and billable hours requirements.
