The company I work for is very sneaky. I won’t get into all the details, but just to know generally:
How common is negoitating salary when you have received a promotion? If a company promotes from within constantly because it is cheaper than bringing someone in to do the job at an initial salarly - how does one get their salary up to speed when considering the “new position” and the “position” you’re being promoted from.
I mean, if someone goes “this is the job we would like you to do now, as opposed to your current job”. What are the options that you really have? You can’t say “No, I think I’m just going to continue to do this job”. Nor does it sound logical to negotiate when they were the ones who offered the promotion.
This is an extreme example, but if the janitor is promoted to VP and he decides he wants VP salary; How is there any leverage when the company can go -" but you WERE making -scraps—.00??
It is absolutely normal and expected by management that you will both seriously consider it (there’s nothing wrong with keeping your position and refusing a promotion, I don’t know why you dismiss this), and that you will negotiate your new compensation. They may throw out a number as part of the offer, and then you can think about it for a few days, and then tell them that you will take the job for $X salary or whatever.
I’m not sure what you mean by the employer saying, “this is the job we would like you to do now, as opposed to your current job.” Is this really a promotion, or is it a situation where your job is being eliminated and the company is trying to avoid laying you off? Those are two very different situations.
If we are truly talking about a promotion (which is typically a scenario where you move into a job with greater responsibility than the one you have been doing), then, as has already been noted, not taking the promotion is nearly always a viable option. If the new position is going to involve twice the work for 10% more pay, you might just be better off staying where you are. On the other hand, if you have been drooling for the new position, you may want to be more flexible as to the compensation.
Another question is whether there is competition for the new position. If so, that will make it harder for you to negotiate compensation. If you don’t want the job for what they are offering, they will probably just offer it to their #2 choice, if he or she is truly a viable candidate.
In your extreme example, it seems to me that if the janitor is truly qualified to be the VP, then the company should realize that they need to pay accordingly. That’s not to say that they won’t try to make their best deal, but they also need to recognize that there is a competitive market for employees, too. If a VP in their industry typically makes, say, 5 times what a janitor makes, and they are only willing to pay the ex-janitor twice what he was making simply because of where he came from, it’s not unlikely that some other company will snap up the newly-crowned executive at a better salary. Unless the company is willing to tolerate constant churning of employees, they need to be competitive and realistic about what each position should pay. And if they are willing to tolerate constant churning in order to maintain a low salary structure, you should probably find somewhere else to work, anyway.
I’d like to hear back from the OP if he was talking about a position that was being eliminated but the company was offering a new position to the person, or if it was just a regular promotion.
Just make sure it’s not the de-facto promotion without the title or pay. That’s what a lot of companies I’ve worked for are very prone to doing- having people work well above their job descriptions, but being unwilling to pay and promote accordingly.
Well, it’s not really that the position was being eliminated. I think it’s more in line with what “bump” said. The position that I held was basically created for me, it’s more or less a marketing position job - but of course they didn’t call it that. For my review they offered me what I thought to be a raise (bc of my review) but then told me that I would now be under another department’s umbrella. The “bigger up” department who has been trying to steal me for some time. This is way more responsibility and should be way more money. They phrased it as “you will be doing all of the stuff you’re doing - and THIS”
Because they keep..phrasing..promotions as new opportunities, I’m never really getting the market salary for the “new position” or even the old position specifically in my area. If that makes any sense..
Because I absolutely hate feeling like I’m being taken advantage of, I spoke with HR shortly after this with some print outs of salaries for either of the positions that my job is comprised of, for the location, and told them that I would like to discuss a plan to get me in the ball park of the going market. Wether this happens or not; I wanted them to know that I’m aware of the deception.
Glad you talked to HR about it Hopefully you get the salary you deserve at the company you work for, and if not, another company somewhere else will be glad to have you for a fair price when they have an opening, so keep your eye out for it
Given that situation, the surest way to get the pay you deserve would be to get an offer of a comparable position in another company that pays what it should. Then go back to your company and ask them if they are willing to match or beat the offer in order to keep you. However, if the company is as devious as you indicate, you’d probably be better off just quitting and taking the new company’s offer. If your current company did match the offer, they might just do so for as long as it takes them to find your replacement.
I’ve thought about that too for certain. The company has a high turn over rate, that they lie about even when asked by potential clients.
It’s so stupid to me honestly. With the nickles and dimes they try to save swindling their employees and always hiring new people - they could easily just build a solid foundation and pay the people they have fairly.
But..such is the state of the new American work place.
If nothing else, I’m greatful that all the experience (sans money) has stacked my resume.
Hopefully you get the salary you deserve at the company you work for, and if not, another company somewhere else will be glad to have you for a fair price when they have an opening, so keep your eye out for it 