Comments on: Don’t let recruiter talk you into a low-ball offer http://EmploymentDigest.net/2005/11/dont-let-recruiter-talk-you-into-a-low-ball-offer/ News, Tips and Hints for those in Career Transistion Tue, 22 May 2012 09:14:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Utah Tech Jobs » How Not To Get Underpaid http://EmploymentDigest.net/2005/11/dont-let-recruiter-talk-you-into-a-low-ball-offer/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Utah Tech Jobs » How Not To Get Underpaid Fri, 16 Dec 2005 19:18:19 +0000 http://www.employmentdigest.net/?p=404#comment-6 [...] How Not To Get Underpaid Posted in My Side of the Desk by Robert Merrill on December 16th, 2005 | Popularity: unranked So, this post (via) hits a little close to home because I don’t believe I am the type of recruiter they’re talking about here.  However, I will share the following ideas for a candidate nervous he/she may be getting undervalued:   To avoid getting snookered the next time out, do these three things: [...] [...] How Not To Get Underpaid Posted in My Side of the Desk by Robert Merrill on December 16th, 2005 | Popularity: unranked So, this post (via) hits a little close to home because I don’t believe I am the type of recruiter they’re talking about here.  However, I will share the following ideas for a candidate nervous he/she may be getting undervalued:   To avoid getting snookered the next time out, do these three things: [...]

]]> By: J Wynia http://EmploymentDigest.net/2005/11/dont-let-recruiter-talk-you-into-a-low-ball-offer/comment-page-1/#comment-4 J Wynia Sun, 27 Nov 2005 14:41:58 +0000 http://www.employmentdigest.net/?p=404#comment-4 "Prove your ability. Do a great job and you could get a sizable raise next year." Having dealt with LOTS of recruiters (I do independent web consulting) and this kind of line always bugs me. I've developed responses for most of it, including this one. I respond with, "Great. Will your firm be willing to stake your commission on it? I'll split next year's raise with you if you split this year's commission with me." Basically, they're trying to get you to assume the risk without giving anything up themselves. Negotiating is about the balance of power. By the time an offer is being written up, you've got as much power as a potential candidate that you'll ever have in the hiring process. It's the time to push back. If you're being asked to take a leap, ask them to take one too. If they claim that a good 1st year will result in a raise, are they willing to sign an ironclad agreement to refund their commission should you get a good performance review, but no raise? They're asking you do give up *your* potential first year benefit for a promise that they likely can't actually do anything about. “Prove your ability. Do a great job and you could get a sizable raise next year.”

Having dealt with LOTS of recruiters (I do independent web consulting) and this kind of line always bugs me. I’ve developed responses for most of it, including this one.

I respond with, “Great. Will your firm be willing to stake your commission on it? I’ll split next year’s raise with you if you split this year’s commission with me.”

Basically, they’re trying to get you to assume the risk without giving anything up themselves. Negotiating is about the balance of power. By the time an offer is being written up, you’ve got as much power as a potential candidate that you’ll ever have in the hiring process. It’s the time to push back.

If you’re being asked to take a leap, ask them to take one too. If they claim that a good 1st year will result in a raise, are they willing to sign an ironclad agreement to refund their commission should you get a good performance review, but no raise? They’re asking you do give up *your* potential first year benefit for a promise that they likely can’t actually do anything about.

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