What Does This Mean?!

Yeah, Pete ... if the ME made a verbal offer, and not a really bad manager you'd want to think twice about working for, you're probably good.

The weekend started, the ME's kids might be going back to school next week and maybe he/she had to leave work early, and maybe there are 30 other newsroom crises you're not aware of.

Trust me, I know it's hard, but just relax until tomorrow and all will probably straightened out.

 

Right. Don't do that.

On the application, put "negotiable."

When they ask, double back. I had a preliminary phone interview for a job a while ago, and the guy was like "how much do you make?" And I said "Well, how much are you looking to pay for this position." He looked it up, told me, and I said "Yes, that's an acceptable range." Don't EVER tell them it's more than you make now. You cut yourself out of negotiations, out of getting moving costs paid for, etc. Just don't. They have no business in knowing that.

 

Sort of applicable, although not directly so, I briefly talked to a headhunter a few years back, and they asked me to at least give them a range, and the job was in a much more expensive place doing a job with more responsibilities, and I didn't want to go low, so I picked a number that I felt was likely preposterous, and they guy said, "That's certainly in range with our expectations." ... so the motto is, well, I don't know, if you're going to name an number, go high.

 

I agree. First party to state a number loses.

 

My biggest problem with all this is wondering whether I'm "the guy" ... the person they're going to hire.

It just seems so strange to ask that question or for him/them to have that conversation Friday and them be thinking I'm NOT their first choice.

 

The transcript you provided makes me think you are a finalist for the position. You may be "the guy" but the convo you related doesn't reflect a done deal. I hope you lock it up.

 

Yeah, no part of that read as you were the guy to me. I was kind of wondering if that was from some other part of the conversation you didn't share.

Just read like they had finalists, and wanted to know what each wanted so they could make a decision. And, to be fair, he didn't say "We'll call you RIGHT back." Just that they'd call you back.

Calm the fuck down, keep your fingers crossed, and find out when you find out.

 

I really hated this answer.

You didn't try to negotiate salary at all. You indicated you'd take less than you currently do ("roughly the same").

Then you immediately told him you were happy with the first number he threw out there.

In my experience, if you are "their guy", they're not going to go to their second choice over a little bit of money.

And, I know the job market is tough right now, but you still have to fight for yourself.

 

Inky,

It's also possible that the ME wants to hire you but is waiting on official approval from bosses or your urine test/background check or something like that before the next step can be taken.

 

I experienced this earlier this year with a salary range request.

So, I figured what the hell. I threw out a figure I'd like to see and believed would be appropriate, a number at the low end and one in the middle.

The guy didn't blink and said all three were doable, but he didn't have a problem with the "high" number. His plans fell through and we didn't put the deal together at the time, but still are discussing it.

Don't sell yourself short. All they can do is say "no" or negotiate.

Good luck, Pete.

 

There are a lot of things more important than money in this case:

The job (more suited to me and my skills). My current job (which I dislike and see no future/progress in). The area of the country in which the prospective job is located. Proximity to family. Money's about the fifth-important thing to me right now.

That said, they're authorized to pay more than I make now, that's good enough for me. And I don't mind letting them know.

I'm not about to squabble over a couple thousand dollars in this case. And, I'm not going to ask — nor did I expect — $10K more than I make now.

You're right, I WAS immediately happy with the number they threw at me.

For the record, I went back into my online application to check my salary expectation. I did fill that portion out, I didn't skip or miss it. And my expectation was about $7,000 less than they threw out there Friday over the phone.

 

All of which might make them think you're not up to the task.