Author Topic: LinkedIn advice Seeker  (Read 2952 times)

Freedom Invested

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LinkedIn advice Seeker
« on: May 11, 2017, 04:08:03 PM »
I cannot help but feel sorry for people that struggle with ageism (the poster graduated college in 1974) or the plague of un-employment. What is your take on this post I saw on LinkedIn.

"Folks, I need some advice. I had a preliminary phone interview this AM for what sounds like potentially an interesting position. However, as seems to be the disturbing norm these days, salary came up at the end of the conversation. Of course, I deflected.

Shortly thereafter, the recruiter emailed me with the maximum salary they can go. It's very low for a person of my experience - less than 2/3 what I made at my last job. On the other hand, it's a whole lot more than I have now.

So what's your advice? Do I move forward despite the lowball pay? (1 concern is that the message I hear is that they're more concerned about cost than results.) Or do I take a pass? Am  I cutting off my nose to spite my face?

Thanks."

I know what I would do depending on how long I was looking for work; take the money, keep looking for more work, and start investing better to carry me the last 20-30+ years of life or... do my current plan of investing well so I do not need to work in my 60s. How about you?

CatamaranSailor

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Re: LinkedIn advice Seeker
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2017, 04:19:21 PM »
There is no doubt the workforce is changing rapidly. It doesn't matter how old you are...20's, 40's, 60's......there are going to be preconceptions about you and your generation. Which is why my personal belief is everyone needs to be financially independent...or working damned hard to get there.

The poster you mentioned sounded wounded from the salary offer....who knows what their situation is. If they are struggling then yes, they'll probably end up taking the lower salary. But like you'd I'd be doing everything I could to get myself into a position where I could do jobs that I wanted to do, because they interested me, not desperately searching for something that can maintain the artificial lifestyle I've been living.

Just think about this from an employer's perspective. Who is the better employee...the guy you hired because he's desperate and has been unemployed for six months and is close to foreclosure. Or the guy who can walk away at any moment, but chooses not to because he's a believer in what you do and wants to genuinely contribute to the cause?

BTW...as an employer...who are you going to treat better?


nick663

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Re: LinkedIn advice Seeker
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2017, 04:31:03 PM »
Depends on the financial situation but if he doesn't NEED the job, I would counter with what I was expecting plus 10%.  This is assuming this is just a job for him and not something that he really wants to do.

Also, he should consider the quality of coworkers he is about to surround himself with.  Below market rate pay (I'm sure this isn't an isolated occurrence) means below average coworkers... and the few that are above average won't be staying long.

big_slacker

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Re: LinkedIn advice Seeker
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2017, 05:43:48 PM »
Kinda tough to answer without knowing the guy's situation other than he's 60+ and probably doesn't have retirement well sorted enough to just call it a career.

I guess like others have said if it's dire need then you take the job and keep your head above water while you look for something else. If it isn't dire need then keep looking. Or possibly get creative? Like is that lower salary less than what you could make as say an uber driver? Or could he part time at something easy for steady income + something skill related on the side (I dunno, guitar lessons, making picnic tables and selling on craigslist, whatever) At that age I'd really expect to be chillin instead of struggling but life happens.

Freedom Invested

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Re: LinkedIn advice Seeker
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2017, 07:03:38 PM »
It is true that there are a lot of unknowns here. I have no idea what his financial situation is, if he deserves as much as he thinks he does, or if he needs to work (though it certainly seems like he does).

What I do know is I don't want to need to work in my 60s. Yikes.

Gone_Hiking

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Re: LinkedIn advice Seeker
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2017, 09:47:20 PM »
I think I can relate.  I was in a similar situation a few months ago - layoff and being over 45, and 40% salary drop, and lifestyle adjustment - but, also with new opportunities in side gigs and sharpened focus on FI.

Looking at the LinkedIn post, if the person is not desperate and salary is the only problem, perhaps there is a lifestyle challenge rather than skill challenge.   I would still assert that being an attractive candidate is a better option than being a desperate one.  Holding on for a better offer while resources are dwindling is likely to result in being forced to take a sucky job that pays even less.  The person needs to figure out whether he/she likes the responsibilities of the job and whether the salary can support them.  The person can always get another job with a higher salary from there, with a bit of effort.

Quote
What I do know is I don't want to need to work in my 60s. Yikes.

This.  My feelings exactly.

Proud Foot

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Re: LinkedIn advice Seeker
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2017, 09:53:39 AM »
"Shortly thereafter, the recruiter emailed me with the maximum salary they can go. It's very low for a person of my experience - less than 2/3 what I made at my last job. On the other hand, it's a whole lot more than I have now.

So what's your advice? Do I move forward despite the lowball pay? (1 concern is that the message I hear is that they're more concerned about cost than results.) Or do I take a pass? Am  I cutting off my nose to spite my face?"


These two parts really stood out to me.  The poster claims it is a lowball pay but it is hard to tell if it actually is a lowball offer without more information about the position.  In my opinion, for a mid level job for example, I would need more of a reason than experience to increase my offer.  Why would I offer more to someone with 20 years experience than someone with 10 years experience who, for all intents and purposes, are identical except for length of experience? 

Also to me it is hard to compare an offer to what you were paid at a past job. It seems to me like the offer is still more than what this person is making currently although it is less than his previous job.  I think this person would be better off taking this job to improve their current financial position while continuing to look for jobs that will pay what they think they are worth based upon their previous job.

cube.37

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Re: LinkedIn advice Seeker
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2017, 10:25:04 AM »
It's very common in recruitment for a company to offer a candidate the lowest they think they can get away with. If they have any idea how much the candidate is making today, they have a good idea how much they need to bump it up to get the candidate. Who cares how much the guy was making at his previous role...

Whether or not low-balling candidates is in a company's long term interests is a whole other question.