can I ask for a raise at my new job since I got a higher offer somewhere else?

by Alison Green on September 29, 2015

A reader writes:

I recently just started working for a new company 2 weeks ago that I really enjoy. The benefits are great, I have flex-time, and my boss has been very enthusiastic during my onboarding (basically running around telling everyone how excited she is to have me join the company).

A company that I interviewed with before I accepted this job has now come back to me with a job offer that is 25% higher than what my new job is paying me. I would prefer to stay at my current job, so I would like to use this as leverage to request a raise.

Is it too early in my tenure at this job to go back and ask for a raise? Or is this considered renegotiating the salary from my original job offer? I’m definitely concerned about alienating my new boss, but I feel that I can’t ignore a pay increase of this magnitude.

It’s going to really rub most employers the wrong way if you ask for a raise two weeks into a new job. You accepted the job at a salary that they agreed to, they turned down other candidates based on your acceptance of the job at that salary, and it’s going to come across as bad faith to try to renegotiate it now — just as it would to you if they tried to renegotiate a lower salary now because they found a good candidate willing to do your job for less.

The most you can do is to be highly apologetic and explain why you’re now accepting the other offer (“they offered me a 25% salary bump, which I’m just not in a position to refuse”) and see if they happen to offer to meet it. But I’d leave that to them to bring up.

Do be prepared that this is probably going to burn the bridge with your current employer; when you accepted their offer, you basically agreed that you were going to stop considering other offers for now. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take the other job — you need to do what’s best for you — but do be prepared for the likely fall-out if you decide to.

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  1. F.*

    We had an employee resign to take a higher paying position after just three days. Of course, we had already paid for a background check, drug screening, and given him safety gear which we never did get back. When he came back a month later begging for his old position after learning the new position was on a project due to wrap up in a couple of weeks, the manager told him that we require a certain level of professionalism from our employees, and that he had demonstrated that he did NOT have it.

    1. NickelandDime*

      He just jumped at “more money!!! $$$$” and didn’t investigate the position. He learned a hard lesson. OP, if you do this, make sure it’s worth it. The pay raise at the other job is significant, but you said in the letter you would prefer to stay at your current job. Sometimes, quality of life, a good manager, job duties that are aligned with your career goals, etc., are more important than money. Sometimes, due to circumstances, money has to come first. Give this a lot of thought. AAM gave good advice.

      1. Mike C.*

        In and of itself, there’s nothing wrong, unethical or unprofessional with jumping at “more money!!! $$$$”. We all work to live, not the other way around.

        1. NickelandDime*

          I did not say that it was – it certainly isn’t. But as AAM pointed out, this could have ramifications on her professional reputation, burned bridges, etc. That’s something to consider.

        3. MK*

          It may not be wrong, unethical or unprofessional to jump at “more money!!! $$$$”, but the jumping part is not always a smart move. While it’s not impossible that the other job has all the advantages of the one the OP has now, plus a higher salary, it’s not a good idea to get blinded by the shine of the money. 25% is a pretty big difference; there is bound to be a downside to this.

          1. Stranger than fiction*

            Yeah I’m wondering if the other company has the same flex time, gray benefits, etc. plus her boss sounds awesome and the other one may not be ( it’s hard to say until you’ve worked for them)

            1. Original Poster*

              The job probably will have the same flex-time, however, it’s a bit further from my home (an additional 20 minutes) and it would require me to work longer hours (50-60 hours/week). But isn’t that what you have to deal with when you take a job with higher pay?

              2. Beezus*

                Not always. My last job change was for 30% fewer hours and still about 5% more money.

                You’re considering a job with 25% higher pay, for 25-50% more work hours (assuming you’re working 40 hrs/week now), plus additional commute time and travel costs. I’m not saying that’s a terrible tradeoff, just consider it in those terms (increase in hours alongside increase in $$) and make sure you don’t have rose colored glasses on. You’d be burning bridges with a company you like working for so far. I personally wouldn’t do it unless I’d seen some real red flags in my first couple of weeks at the new job, but you have to do what makes the most sense for you.

                1. afiendishthingy*

                  Yeah, wouldn’t be worth it for me. 60 hours would be a very long week for me, but people differ on what kind of hours they can tolerate. Just depends on your own priorities, but think reeeally hard about whether it would really be worth it to you to take the other offer.

              4. Creag an Tuire*

                So a longer commute -and- longer hours? (And if they’re openly admitting “50-60 hours/week”, they may end up meaning “60-80”, in my experience.)

                My gut reaction is “DON’T DO IT!”, but then I’m in a stage of my life where not immediately falling into bed from exhaustion after work is worth some opportunity cost.

                1. Betsy*

                  I agree, there is no way I would take more money to work more hours (on a consistent/regular basis). I value my personal time and my work/life balance too much. In fact, I would consider taking a pay cut to only work 4 days/week. But I am lucky to be able to afford such an arrangement.

              5. Owl*

                But isn’t that what you have to deal with when you take a job with higher pay?

                Well no, that doesn’t really make any sense. By that logic, everyone would eventually be working every hour of the day, since their hours kept increasing whenever their salary did.

              6. Vicki*

                No, you should not expect to “have to deal with” a longer commute and longer hours when you take a job with higher pay.

              7. MashaKasha*

                The 60 hours that they’re telling you about when they really want you to accept, could become 80 hours in actuality when you’re already working for them and cannot leave easily.

                Though I admit, a 25% pay increase sounds tempting! But 60 hours is 60 hours. I’d have passed, but I’m too old for “60” hours.

      2. Original Poster*

        I definitely am considering quality of life, job duties, and good management. Of course, money isn’t everything, but it sure helps.

        1. Ad Astra*

          Alison is right that you need to do what’s best for you. If you ask me, quitting now for this new offer is not the best thing for you. Based on the increase in hours and significantly (in my opinion) longer commute, it’s not worth burning this bridge with your current company to take a 25% pay increase. The only exceptions, in my mind, would be if you truly don’t think you can live on your current salary, or you have serious concerns about your current company.

        2. AdAgencyChick*

          Coming back late to say this: There are a lot of people who are immediately saying, “Don’t do it! That much extra work is not worth it!”

          It wouldn’t be for me. It might be for you. If you’re in the salary-building phase of your career, maybe you’re okay with busting your butt for 60 hours a week for a couple of years, so that the next job you take after that has a high salary, and the one after that, and so forth. It’s a very real tradeoff that may or may not be worth it, depending on your personal situation.

          What I don’t think you can do is what you were hoping to be able to do based on the original letter, which is have your cake and eat it too by trying to get your current job to give you the higher salary, or even a salary in between what you are making now and what you would make at the other company. If you go in saying “I have another offer at 25% more, but I’d really love to stay here if you can match that,” it is not at all unlikely that the response will be, “See you later. Go take the other offer.” Bridge burned. Even if they do manage to cough up more money for you and you stay, you’ll have a mark on your forehead to your boss and to others in management.

      3. Anne*

        I’ve been in the work place for forty years and the only job I hated, and was sorry I took, was the one that I took for the money. There’s a reason why they are paying you more.

        1. Jules*

          Hear, hear!

          The best career advice I ever got was from a mature colleague who said that you should be getting more out of your job than a paycheck, and if the paycheck is the top thing on the list of ‘things I love about my job’, you should rethink your options. The only job I’ve ever hated was the job I took for the paycheck…

          1. Annonymouse*

            Agreed
            There are somethings worth more than money.

            I took my current job at a slight pay cut (1.5k) because
            1) the hours were better – part time instead of full time
            2) it was in my preferred industry
            3) the team, atmosphere and culture seemed to match me very well – unlike other job.

            So I took the opportunity and have flourished there.

            Money is only a thing if you’re not earning enough to get by in your current role.

  2. Koko*

    Another point to consider in terms of whether it can be leverage to get a pay raise is how similar the two roles are. A lot of job-seekers apply for jobs with varying levels of responsibility and seniority. If the job that pays 25% more is a Manager role with significantly more responsibility or is a level or two higher on the totem pole, it wouldn’t make sense for the lower-rung Associate job you accepted to pay you as much. (Nor would it mean that your new company needs another Manager-level position.)

      1. Original Poster*

        The job is for a similar role, neither of which are management positions. However, the role offering more money is a further distance from my home and would require longer hours.

        2. K.A.*

          I thought working more hours for more money would be no problem. Then my mom got really, really sick long term. No warnings. Didn’t see it coming. How I wish I had had those 20 extra hours a week to help her, to be with her.

  3. KT*

    And really weigh the differences between them too–great benefits and flex-time may offset the pay bump–what is the other company’s benefits like?

    For me, flex-time alone would be worth more money!

    If you like your current job–and you were okay with the salary when you accepted, I would let this drop and appreciate the job you have and its perks and not get too greedy.

    1. Ad Astra*

      YES to flex-time. It has the potential to save you a lot of PTO time, which to me would be worth the money.

    3. Mike C.*

      I wish flex time wasn’t treated as a perk, but simply as something that should be allowed as a normal course of business so long as the nature of the business allows and the employee has proven themselves. Everyone saves money, time, is more productive, not to mention the benefits to the community at large when there are fewer folks commuting.

    4. Original Poster*

      The other company’s benefits (medical, dental, etc) are pretty much on par with what my current job offers. The other company also offers flex-time so it definitely helps with the PTO aspect. Is it possible for me to ask for a higher raise later on? Maybe after I’ve proven myself?

      1. KT*

        Absolutely you can! I would say after 6 months to a year–when you’ve proven to be a rockstar–it’s completely fair to ask for a raise.

          1. KT*

            I would probably agree, but it again depends on industry/company/how awesome you are.

            My first job I knew I was lowballed, but it was a company I really wanted to work for. I took the job for too little pay (willingly), busted my butt, learned everything I could, volunteered for every assignment I could get my hands on, and after one year, got a 30% raise.

              1. Jen S. 2.0*

                I think you need to keep reminding yourself that 2 weeks ago, you were happy with what you got offered.

                (There’s a name for this psychological phenomenon, where you are delighted to have three candy bars, until you discover that the subject in the room next door got five.)

              2. Zillah*

                10-15% is going to be a pretty significant raise in a lot of places, particularly if it doesn’t come with a promotion. Unless you have reason to believe that this company/industry regularly gives raises of that size, I’d suggest you adjust your expectations.

                If you’re going to stay in your current position, I think that you really need to let that 25% go and deal with the company on its own and your own merits. If you’re going to be comparing every raise to that extra 25% you might have had if you’d opted for the other position, you should take the other position.

  4. PEBCAK*

    Don’t do it. Nothing good will come out of this. At some point in the future, maybe you can use your knowledge of this offer to better negotiate a market rate, but that’s a long time down the road.

    1. Anna*

      There’s no way to know that “nothing good will come out of this.” It’s a risk either way and risks frequently pay off. However, the OP should weigh their options and determine whether or not that pay hike is something they need at the expense of burning a bridge or if they can do without.

      1. BethRA*

        Keep in mind, though, that it would be less burning a bridge behind them so much as possibly torching the carpet they’re standing on. From the OP’s own words: “I would prefer to stay at my current job, so I would like to use this as leverage to request a raise…Is it too early in my tenure at this job to go back and ask for a raise? Or is this considered renegotiating the salary from my original job offer?”

        If the money is that important (and imo there’s nothing wrong with money being important to people), I think they’d be better off accepting the second offer rather than potentially damaging relationships and their reputation in a place they plan to stay.

        1. Sunflower*

          I totally agree. Not the same but similar- My friend is a recruiter and tells me all the time how much she sees people use job offers as leverage in their current job. Yes sometimes they get to keep their jobs and get the raise but the company never looks at them the same again.

          OP would be better off quitting and taking the other job.

  5. James M*

    … just as it would to you if they tried to renegotiate a lower salary now because they found a good candidate willing to do your job for less.

    Sounds familiar. It could be that I’m reading too much ClientsFromHell.

  6. Steve*

    It would have to be a much better job at a better company, but it’s 2 weeks. It wouldn’t be the end of the world to leave.

    1. LBK*

      It’s not career-damning to burn one bridge, but it should certainly be done with more careful consideration than just saying “it’s not the end of the world”. The severity also depends on multiple factors like how small your field is, how likely you think the employer you burn is to be contacted as a reference and how likely you are to want to apply to that company again down the road.

      1. Original Poster*

        It’s unlikely that the company would be contacted for reference since it’s only been a couple of weeks. I wouldn’t put them on my resume, however, I wouldn’t put it past me to apply to a job with a company down the line.

        1. KT*

          If you ever intend to apply for them…don’t do this. Don’t mention the offer. Don’t quit. If you do either, expect to never be allowed in their doors again.

        2. Jen S. 2.0*

          It’s not just about leaving this job. You can leave a job any time, for any reason, and you will even someday leave this job.

          It’s about what leaving this job **at this time, in this manner** will do to your career long-term.

          So, if the answer is “not much,” you can go ahead and leave. If the answer is “too much,” then you need to suck up and stay. Only you can decide what is too much.

          I believe that we get the occasional (like, once every 10 years or so) get-out-of-job-free card when an offer comes along that is so amazing that it’s worth taking it, even if it’s at the most inconvenient time, or even if you end up burning a bridge. If you are leaving every job for something new 2 months in, there’s a problem (…and not with the jobs…), but doing it once for an awesome reason can be explained.

          But as mentioned by others, A) the ship has sailed on negotiating your current salary. You can think about negotiating a raise in a year, at most; B) is 25% more money an “awesome reason”?; C) you are leaving a known good thing for an unknown that may or may not be good (longer commute + more hours? Eccchhh…); and D) your current company, and any individual involved with what’s happening here (your manager, HR, etc., all of whom may eventually move on to other companies, but will remember you), will very likely never again consider you a viable candidate.

          Honestly? Unless I could not live on my current salary, I’d stay. I’d turn down the other job very nicely, explaining that I’d already accepted another offer. Then, if after a year I have reason to look again, I’d reapply to the other place. This is not the only job search you’ll ever have, and the other company is not going anywhere.

    1. KT*

      It can vary widely depending on industry. When I went from non-profit to pharma, my salary was 3 times more for pretty much the same job. My non-profit salary had actually been the norm, pharma pay is just obscene.

    2. LBK*

      I think it’s hard to guess that without knowing a lot of other factors. For example, comparing my salary to the salary I could make at a nearby competitor, I look like I’m getting suckered – but I know working there means 60+ hour weeks, so I’m perfectly happy not having worked over 40 in years for lower pay.

      1. Mike C.*

        Yeah, it can be really difficult. And all those considerations are moot when it comes to one’s specific manager.

    3. MK*

      It’s just as likely (perhaps more likely, considering the OP describes their employer in glowing terms) that the other job is offering more money to offset other drawbacks.

      1. Zillah*

        Yeah, I’m wondering whether the difference in pay the OP is talking about would look a lot smaller if they looked more closely at the benefits packages and other associated costs.

      2. Temp Anon*

        I thought of that as well. I worked for a long time at a company that didn’t have quite as high salaries as some comparable organizations, but there was a lot of flexibility and work/life balance. People weren’t staying till 8 or working over weekends (except on some rare occasions). A lot of people stayed (despite the possibility of a higher salary elsewhere) because that culture was important to them.

      3. Mike C.*

        On the other other hand, the OP could simply be in the “new job honeymoon”. It’s difficult to say either way.

    4. Original Poster*

      I don’t believe that I was lowballed, but I made the cardinal mistake of not negotiating. I’d recently been laid off and didn’t want to risk the company retracting the offer by negotiating. When my current company asked what my range was (although higher than the job that I was laid off where I was underpaid), they gave me at the highest part of the range. I thought it would be disingenuous for me to negotiate for more when they gave me what I asked for.

      In hindsight, I know that if they were able to give me my highest requested salary, they probably had room for an additional 10-15% and I should have negotiated as such.

      1. Former Usher*

        You did negotiate, and you won. You have no way of knowing how they would have reacted if you had provided a higher range. You were right not to ask for more money once they offered near the top of your original range. You say you were recently laid off, so congratulations on finding another job so quickly and one that even paid more than the old job! Thank the other company for their interest, and say that you need to honor your commitment to your new employer but would love to talk to them again down the road (if true).

          1. JD*

            And if you turn them down politely and professionally, and you apply to them again soon(say the honeymoon at the new job wears off and you don’t like it in another 2 or 3 months), they may even forgo the interviews and just make the same offer for you again, and you don’t have to burn any bridges.

      2. Ad Astra*

        It sounds like you did well, and from what you’ve shared here it sounds like the other job pays more because it’s a very demanding role. It could also be that your current company is great about cost of living adjustments and merit raises while the new company starts employees off with a competitive salary and then keeps things stagnant. (That’s hard to know from the outside, though.)

      3. aaa*

        You did negotiate. You gave them a range of the salary you wanted, and they gave you the high end of the range. That means that you negotiated, and you won!

        Like, if you say, I want 80-100, and they say, great, we’ll pay you 100, you can’t come back and say “actually I want 125.” That’s not how negotiation works, at all.

        If you wanted 125, or anything more than 100, you needed to ask for it with your first offer. People really don’t like moving target negotiations; if they give you what you ask for, that’s it.

        And there’s zero reason to think that just because they were willing to pay you 100, they would also have been willing to pay you 110 or 115.

        1. Anonymous Educator*

          When my boss hired me, we talked about what range I was expecting. I gave a range of X to X+5, which is the market rate. He offered me X+8. If, at that point (or two weeks into the job), I’d said “Yeah, actually, I want X+12,” my boss would think I was off my rocker.

      4. Zillah*

        Ahhh, see, this changes the equation for me. It absolutely would have been disingenuous to continue to negotiate under those circumstances, and they’d likely think less of you if you had. It seems like you’re saying you should have continued to negotiate at that point – if so, I completely disagree.

        It sounds like you think you lost out solely because there wasn’t a back and forth, but that’s not necessarily the case. You’ve said that they’re really excited about having you on board; it’s possible that you gave them your range and rather than lowball you, they went about as high as they could. Maybe you could have eked out a little more, but maybe not. Regardless, I think you need to let it go. You didn’t fail to negotiate, and you need to decide whether you want this job given the alternatives.

  8. LBK*

    If you’re only planning to use the other offer as leverage and wouldn’t actually take it if your current employer said no, I wouldn’t bring it up. I think it will trash your relationship with your manager if they say no and you try to stay; it will take ages to build up a reputation as an engaged employee that won’t jump ship the second someone waves more money at you. I might even consider letting you go if I couldn’t match the other offer and just moving on to my #2 choice for the job, especially if you were under a probationary period.

    2. Anna*

      Great point. Either commit to one or the other, but don’t use it as leverage. That is something that rarely works out.

    3. Ask a Manager* Post author

      Yes! I should have emphasized that more in the post. The only way to bring it up is if you’ve already decided you’re going to take it if they don’t match the salary.

    4. AdAgencyChick*

      +1. You just got there; your manager isn’t attached to you and hasn’t spent months training you, so she may very well respond with, “okay, go” and consider it a resignation.

    5. BethRA*

      This. If one of my new hires turned around and tried to “leverage” a raise so soon after starting, it would have a very negative impact on how I thought of their professionalism and judgement.

    6. Stranger than fiction*

      I wonder if there’s some sort of water cooler type way she could casually mention it to a coworker where there’s a chance it gets back to boss and then boss might be like hmm maybe I could get her a bump I don’t want to lose her…or have I just been watching too much TV lately

      1. lawsuited*

        Wouldn’t the boss be more likely to call you in and ask why you’re telling the employees they can make 25% more working elsewhere?

        1. Anna*

          I don’t think that would be the case. Otherwise any conversation about how another company pays more would fall under that, and that just isn’t the case. It’s more of a concern to take a passive voice approach and hope it gets back to the boss. It won’t. It’s not the kind of thing a coworker would discuss with their boss. It’s much more likely to get a reaction like KT said; you’d start gossip about what a braggart you are and if you could make so much more money, why are you here?

      2. KT*

        No…just no. That’s a great way to alienate and annoy coworkers. “New girl thinks she’s hot stuff, bragging about how other companies want her and how she’s too good for us”

  9. Alien Ration*

    This totally sucks. Do what you got to do to put food on the table. I wish job openings came out in bunches at regular intervals throughout the year, and that the process would take a given amount of time at each organization. Maybe in some utopia….

  10. Zillah*

    OP, you mention a 25% pay raise. I agree that that’s a really significant amount of money, but I worry that you might be focusing on that to the exclusion of everything else.

    You mention that the job you just started has great benefits, flex time, and a supportive boss. Are you sure that the job you’re being offered has similar or better benefits? If it doesn’t, the difference may not be as big as it looks right now – transportation and health insurance, for example, can both have a lot of hidden costs, and if the job you’re being offered now is further away or offers poorer health insurance, you could be spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than you would in your current job to make up for that, and the 25% would shrink.

    It also occurs to me that if you’re really enjoying the work you’re doing and your boss is so enthusiastic about you, you might be in a decent position to negotiate a raise down the road and/or get a promotion – which isn’t necessarily the case with the job being offered to you.

    Personally, if I was in your position, I’d be inclined to stick with your current job provided you could swing it financially. That’s just me, though!

    1. jmkenrick*

      And honestly, depending on how much OP makes, that bump might not be as noticeable as you’d think. Let’s say your current salary is 25,000. New job offers you 31,250. That extra 6,250 is not an insignificant amount of money, but it’s also not going to make you a millionaire – especially if you’re now paying double for the commute, or extra copay for your medication or what-have-you.

      Sometimes those differences look more dazzling on paper than they are in reality.

      If you’re early in your career and not making very much there’s a solid argument that you’re better off getting a position with room for growth and a supportive manager so that you can grow the reputation and skills you need to be more competitive later on.

      1. LBK*

        Well, it’s not necessarily just about whether the net pay increase will make a difference in your day-to-day lifestyle. Having a higher salary can contribute heavily to your long-term earning potential; it gives you a better base for percentage raises or bonuses and gives you a better starting point for future negotiations (not that your current salary should be a factor in your new salary, but it often does end up as one).

        1. Original Poster*

          This is very true. However, I made the cardinal mistake of not negotiating when accepting this position. Teachable lesson!

          1. KT*

            We’ve all been there and kicked ourselves. But it’s not like it can ever be fixed. You said you like this current job–do awesome work, learn a lot, and the raises/promotions will come (but ask for them!)

        2. jmkenrick*

          True, but if one job has more room for growth than the other or is on a path that you prefer, then you might be better off taking a lower salary.

          If, at Company A, OP grows in responsibility and gets promoted into a higher pay grade, and a raise each year after that…she might be better off in the long run if Company B has a policy to not give more than a 2% raise regardless of promotions. (This is all speculative, of course, I have no idea what the right path is…but assuming OP can currnetly cover her bills I think the growth potential is an important consideration.)

        1. Liz T*

          Yeah—I made $25,000 last year, and that extra 6,250 would be a big deal to me. I’m actually trying to leave my company (a job I’m good at with a flexible schedule) and looking for jobs in the 30-40K range.

          (Money is not the only reason I’m leaving but it is the biggest.)

          1. Lily Rowan*

            Yeah, my first raise was from $20K to $25K and I literally cried. It meant I could actually pay all of my bills, and not have to put groceries on a credit card!

            1. Ad Astra*

              Yeah, if those are the actual numbers, a 25% increase could be the difference between actually “making it” as a self-sufficient adult vs. barely skating by with creative bill juggling and maybe some help from mom and dad (or the food pantry).

              But… the effect of that money disappears if it involves moving to a higher COL area or paying significantly more for insurance or transportation.

              1. jmkenrick*

                But… the effect of that money disappears if it involves moving to a higher COL area or paying significantly more for insurance or transportation.

                Yeah, that’s what I was trying to communicate. If you get an extra $6,250 a year, that’s great…but that’s assuming other benefits are equal and you’re really getting all that extra money. With other factors (say, additional transportation costs) a significant percent of that could be eaten, making it not as large a raise as it appears on paper.

                Of course, if OP is making $100,00 and the new offer is for $125,000, it’s doubtful that her transportation costs are going to eat up much of $25,000, which is why I offered the example I did.

                I wasn’t trying to argue that 6,000 should be considered an insignificant amount of money.

        2. jmkenrick*

          Sorry for the confusion – the point I was trying to communicate was that I agree with Zillah – with other possible costs (transportation, health care, etc.) the raise might not be as significant as it looks on paper.

          My old company, for example, used to cover our bus passes as a benefit. You don’t necessarily think of that as part of your salary, but it actually works out to a significant amount.

        3. Anna*

          As Steve Martine once said (in the 70s) a 29 cent loaf of bread makes a much bigger difference to you when you have a dollar than when you have ten. (I’m probably getting the numbers wrong, but it was the same idea.)

        4. Anx*

          I think this is true, but not always in the way it actually affects your life, when you’re low income.

          If I got a 50% raise, I might be making up to 9,000 a year. But if I applied that same 3,000 to a 9000 dollar salary, I would probably notice the improvement so much more.

      3. Original Poster*

        I’m a mid-level employee so the 25% increase is pretty significant. I can pay my bills, but it’s difficult to have savings…..

    2. Original Poster*

      Asking for a raise/promotion may be the option that I need to focus on. It sounds like it’s a really bad idea for me to try to leverage the offer.

      1. KT*

        It wouldn’t be leverage–it would be a resignation. If you went to them and said “I have this job offer, I have to take it for the money” that’s one thing. It would burn a bridge but you’d move on to a new job. But to use this offer to ask for a raise after 2 weeks after accepting an offer in good faith…you’d be very lucky if they didn’t tell you to pack your bags and go home.

      2. Zillah*

        Yeah, I think that your options are to either take the new offer or turn it down – I don’t think that there’s a whole lot of room to negotiate at the job you’ve already taken.

  11. Mallory Janis Ian*

    We had a person at my old university department who left to work in another department two weeks into her job. She had applied for multiple positions at the university and accepted the first one that was offered to her, as she had just moved from out of state and needed the job. The job with us was as an assistant to a department head, and the job that she left for was a big promotion and more in her wheelhouse: a director of hospitality position at the alumni house, with 15 hours/month leave versus 8 hours/month as an admin. I don’t blame her at all for taking the much better position, but the department head she left was fairly irritated.

  12. AndersonDarling*

    Asking for 25% out of the gate would be a slap in the face. You don’t even know how they give raises or their payscale system. You could be asking for a raise that is greater than your managers salary.

      2. Ad Astra*

        In general, it doesn’t look great. If the company’s in the habit of paying managers less than subordinates, it really takes a lot of the incentive out of working your way up to management. And that makes it harder to put the best people in those positions.

        For instance, many car hops at Sonic make more money (they make actual minimum wage, not “restaurant” minimum wage, and many bring in significant tips) than their managers. So what’s the advantage to managing a Sonic? There really isn’t one, unless you just love being the boss of someone.

        1. jmkenrick*

          I think it depends on the sort of work you’re doing.

          There are career paths where the goal isn’t to move into management…and if you have some individual contributors who have competitive skills (that are harder to find than good managers), then it’s not all that uncommon to have individual contributors who make more than their managers.

          Although from the description it doesn’t sound like OP is in that kind of role.

  13. oh noes*

    if you have a probationary period or evaluation at 3-6 months, I would certainly ask for a raise then. I wouldn’t frame it relative to the offer from your previous employer.

    1. Samantha*

      I wouldn’t ask for a raise at all – let alone 25% – after only 3 or 6 months. And if the OP didn’t mention the other offer, what would be the justification for the raise? OP should either bring it up now, if she is actually prepared to walk away if her current company won’t match the other company’s offer, or decide to be content with her current salary, at least for the time being.

    2. Stranger than fiction*

      This is what I was thinking. Of course it depends how they do things there, but where I work it’s very normal for certain positions to get a bump after the 90-day training/probation period is up. But I wouldn’t ask or expect 25%, maybe 10. It sounds like her overall happiness is great at this place so I wouldn’t rock the boat or tempt fate at this point.

  14. Beebs*

    Something similar happened to me, I had 2 interviews a day apart. I was desperate to get out of the position I was in. One company ended up telling me they weren’t sure where they were at with timelines and hiring people but they were adding more staff at some point – so I had no idea what to think. The second job made me an offer within 2 weeks and I accepted. About a week into the new job, the other company called and made me an offer, I explained that I had already accepted a position, but they insisted I hear out their full offer, which was double the salary I had accepted (similar job just public vs private sector). After much stress and consideration I decided to resign from the new position, I did not ask them to meet the other offer, but they decided to provide a counter offer for me to stay. They couldn’t meet the salary but other things like benefits, flexible schedule, etc. eventually beat out the higher salary offer. But the original idea of doubling my salary over night was not something I could walk away from. Interesting exercise to say the least.

    1. Original Poster*

      This would be the ideal situation for me. Did accepting the counteroffer work out well for you? Was there any animosity from your manager?

      1. Zillah*

        It would be ideal, absolutely – but I think you need to keep a couple things in mind.

        1) Beebs resigned and the company chose to make a counteroffer – they didn’t initiate it. There’s no guarantee that your company would choose to do so for you – or that they’d be able to offer you enough for you to stay.

        2) Beebs’s company couldn’t meet the other company’s offered salary – they offered more benefits and flextime instead. You’ve said that you already have good benefits and flextime, so I’m not sure what they could offer you.

        Tbh, it seems to me like you’re regretting not negotiating. I totally get that, but I don’t think you’re going to get a redo.

        1. Original Poster*

          It’s true that I’m regretting not negotiating (or not really thinking through my first offer). When they asked for my salary range, I didn’t think to consider everything that would make me happy. I just blurted out something that I knew wouldn’t be too low so that I wouldn’t put the job in jeopardy.

          If I could go back, this is the one thing I would change….increasing my requested salary range.

          1. Zillah*

            Ugh. I’ve got so much sympathy for you – it sucks to have that “if only I’d done [x]” nagging at you, and if I were in your position, it would definitely be nagging at me. I think you should focus on which option will leave you regretting your choices the least.

    2. LBK*

      But it sounds like the difference here was that you actually quit and would’ve ended up at the other job if the current one hadn’t countered. That’s not the same as trying to keep your current job and use the offer as a bargaining chip, which is very unlikely to end well.

  15. Ann O'Nemity*

    If I were in this position, I’d only consider two options. (1) Keep my current position and remind myself that I was happy enough to accept the pay when it was offered. Or, (2) Take the new job offer, apologizing profusely to current employer and knowing I had just burnt a bridge.

    Trying to negotiate for a counter offer is never a great idea, especially after just two weeks!

  16. The Small Assassin*

    25% could be a healthy some of money, but I think you should very carefully weigh all of your current benefits and perks against what you would get at the new job. Remember everything: commute, healthcare, dental, the people you work with …

    I don’t mean to be negative, but I’ve personally witnessed co-workers on two separate occasions leave for what they thought was a better, high-paying job – only to come back inside of a month, tail between their legs, begging for forgiveness and their old job back. It’s not just a trope, it’s not an urban legend – it really happens.

    It’s a tough call and I don’t envy you, but remember this: you’re considering trading something that you know is good for something uncertain. Sometimes this works out. Sometimes it doesn’t.

    2. Random citizen*

      …you’re considering trading something that you know is good for something uncertain. Sometimes this works out. Sometimes it doesn’t.

      The Small Assassin nailed it.

  17. Workfromhome*

    Don’t use it as a negotiation tool. There seems to be strong evidence that even when people are in a job for years threaten to leave and take a counter offer that they end up leaving within a year anyways. To the employer having to make a counteroffer means you are not loyal. To the employee hearing a counteroffer means “we low balled you in the first place.”

    We don’t have all the information but its not likely that they can bring a new hire in even at the bottom of the pay scale and then bump the salary 25% after 2 weeks without repercussions within the organization. If the jobs really are similar then you got lowballed. If they aren’t similar then its a hard sell intenrally to pay you 25% more to do job A simply because someone will pay more for you to job B which is more difficult.

    If the other job is equally appealing and 25% more then make sure everything is 100% signed and resign the first job. Decline to discuss any counter offers and accept you have probably burned that bridge.

    If not put in a year at the new job and salary apply for those jobs that pay at least 35% more at the 11 month mark. If they love your work and bump your salary stay. If you put in a year and can leave for 25% more no harm done.

  18. Three Thousand*

    I would leave and take the other offer, assuming it’s legit and the job and benefits are acceptable otherwise. I’ve been lowballed before when I was too naive to know any better and it’s incredibly demoralizing. Of course the current company might not be lowballing you, it might be in a different industry or sector where salaries are lower, but with such a huge difference there’s something weird going on. And as people have pointed out, this can strongly affect your negotiating power for future jobs and raises. You might burn a bridge, but I really can’t see myself holding something like this against someone no matter what position I was in, and not burning bridges isn’t always the most important thing.

    1. MK*

      No one says burning a bridge is to avoided at all costs, just that it’s not something to be done lightly. But about not holding something like this against someone, I disagree. Quitting a job after two weeks means leaving your manager and coworkers in a lurch. You need to do what’s right for you, of course, but they wouldn’t be unreasonable to be annoyed with having to deal with a vacancy and a new hiring process twice within months.

    2. Zillah*

      with such a huge difference there’s something weird going on.

      I disagree. Different job titles/responsibilities, different benefits, different hours, and profit vs. non-profit could all be pretty significant factors in the offers being different.

  19. Laurel Gray*

    I wonder what the amount of time was between the two offers. I’ve seen the advice here that it is okay to reach out to Company B after interviewing and letting them know that Company A gave them an offer and they didn’t want to take it before hearing what Company B has on the table, if they do plan to make an offer. I don’t think it is bad advice either. OP has been with this new employer for 2 weeks now. Add the previous 2 weeks that she worked her notice period at the previous company, isn’t it safe to say that OP may have interviewed at both companies over 30 days ago? That’s quite a while for interview to offer stage, what took Company B so long?

    1. Original Poster*

      I actually was laid off at my previous company so did not have to give notice, nor wait to start work (aside from the background check and drug screening). It’s likely that Company B had another candidate in mind that didn’t work out and I’m their second choice.

      1. Kadee*

        So, you are likely choosing to work at a place where you are someone’s second choice or at a place where out of the gate your boss is enthusiastic about your work?

        If I were you, I’d talk to my boss about short term and long term goals and what he/she thinks you might do towards achieving those goals. Advocacy of a boss in a work environment can be far more lucrative than an immediate 25% increase in salary that remains stagnant because you’re seen as just another cog in the machine.

        1. Zillah*

          “Second choice” is neither a curse nor an insult, though – and we don’t even know that the OP is their second choice. Plenty of commenters here have talked about having multiple candidates they really liked and just one position to fill, and plenty of others have talked about job offers where they were the second choice working out really well. Great employers have first choices who don’t work out, too.

          That’s not to say that the second offer is from a great employer – just that the OP potentially being their second choice isn’t any indication one way or the other.

  20. neverjaunty*

    OP, what is your current employer’s incentive to give you a raise? You’ve been there for two weeks. It’s virtually impossible that in that time you did anything that would present a convincing case to your employer that your additional work, skills, expertise, results, etc. justify higher pay.

    So you aren’t really asking for a raise; you’re demanding a counteroffer. That is, telling your employer that you are going to quit unless they match your new offer. As others have pointed out, you have to be willing to leave if they tell you no thanks – and they may very well tell you no thanks, regardless of how much they like you, because most employees who do this end up leaving shortly anyway. If they do match, then you can expect that they’re going to be extremely skeptical of your commitment and of giving you additional raises going forward.

    Since you don’t mention in your letter that you think you were lowballed or found out that your salary is below market, presumably there’s a reason that this other company is trying to pay you 25% more. (And if you were lowballed, trust me, an evil lowballing manager is not going to say “Curses! You found out our evil scheme! Very well, here is a 25% raise!”)

    1. Original Poster*

      I believe the other company is in SERIOUS need of someone immediately. From the looks of it, the director of the department is overworked with a heavy workload because the person in the position that I was offered up and left with very little notice. I believe the 25% more is because of the heavier workload and longer hours which I’m not really in to.

      1. afiendishthingy*

        Don’t do it! If you’re leary about the heavier workload and longer hours now you’re not going to feel better about them when you’re doing it every day and spending 40 more minutes commuting.

        1. Grey*

          Agreed. Don’t sacrifice your time, happiness and well-being for a little extra cash. You’re likely to regret it.

      2. neverjaunty*

        So, again, your current employer needs an incentive to give you a raise. “I’d make more money working somewhere that has longer hours, a heavier workload, and is really desperate!” is not persuasive. Nor is “well, I should have negotiated for a better salary two weeks ago, but I didn’t feel like I had leverage then and I do now” (and that is in fact the reason, right).

        As others have pointed out, either stay where you are and negotiate for a better raise when the time comes, or leave and expect to have at least scorched some bridges. But using this offer with your current employer after two weeks is kind of lose-lose.

      3. Jen S. 2.0*

        Also, them throwing money at you because they are desperate because someone left them in the lurch isn’t a good sign. A well-run company generally — not always but generally — has contingency plans, and generally keeps their employees happy. Not that people never leave wonderful places suddenly, but…you should be reading the writing on the wall about what kind of place it is.

        These are always the stories where people come back 6 months later wishing they had taken the advice. Don’t be that person.

  21. TootsNYC*

    I was once approached to interview for a job; I went with an attitude of, “I’m speaking to you to see if I want to be an applicant.” And decided that I didn’t want to leave where I was, so I didn’t want to apply. (Odd that I never thought of the interview as an actual application.)

    So I told my boss. I said, “This is a weird conversation bcs I’m not saying that I’m quitting. But I feel like I ought to tell you. Your efforts to make the workload more sensible, and the fact that I make a decent amount of money, and feel valued, are all making me decide that I’m not even going to apply. I’m not sure why I’m telling you, except that I guess I think you should know that you’ve been successful in making this a good place to work, and I want you to keep it up.
    “And I also wanted you to know that i’m good enough that people call me up out of the blue to interview me, and I wanted you to know what you have in me.”
    My boss’s response: “I hear all the things you are telling me, and maybe some you aren’t. I’m glad you’re staying, and I’m glad to know that what I’ve been doing is working.”

    Two weeks later, I got a $1,000 bonus out of it. And a big raise when raise time came around.
    But NOT 25%!

    So you could pursue the job a little bit, and then tell your boss that you like where you are so much, you turned down the chance at 25% more, and that you’re hoping she’ll remember that when raise and promotion time comes around.
    So it’s not flat-out negotiating

    However, I’ve never been somewhere that an employer would be -able- to offer me 25% more than what they did. Nor would I, as someone hiring, be able to offer 25% more than my range. And my range never goes much beyond 10%.

    2. Chriama*

      That would need to be after you’re a known quantity though. OP’s been there 2 weeks. I do think your manager was amazing, and it’s good that she went to bat to get you that extra salary, but I think the way you framed it was good too. You weren’t quitting or complaining, you thanked her for her efforts as a manager, and made it clear you were happy where you are but had options. If you guys had a good relationship up to that point then it’s not manipulative so much as updating her perspective so she knows what she has in you. That’s pretty good.

      1. Ask a Manager* Post author

        Agree — this works when you’ve been there a while and have an established relationship, but saying it this early would mainly read “I’m still interviewing despite having a new job.”

    3. Zillah*

      Along with what’s already been said – how can the OP pursue the job “a little bit”? She has an offer. At this point, she can pretty much either take the offer or not.

      I’m glad that your situation worked out well, but there are some key differences between it and the OP’s that are so significant that your advice isn’t really applicable, IMO.

  22. afiendishthingy*

    I’m glad this worked out well for you, but I don’t think it will reflect well on OP if she tries to jerk Second Offer around and then tells Job #1 they should give her a raise because of it.

    2. TootsNYC*

      well, what I did has some significant differences from the OP’s situation.

      I didn’t jerk Job #2 around (in my case, I didn’t have a solid offer, just some serious interest). And I didn’t ask for any raise at all.

      I don’t think I even said, “Be sure to remember this when raise time comes around.” But as my boss said, she heard all the stuff I wasn’t explicitly saying (like, “I could go get a job somewhere else someday if I end up unhappy here” and “the higher salary was tempting”).

      1. Afiendishingy*

        I agree your situation was different, I didn’t think you were jerking the other job around. but I think OP would be if she continued to pursue the second offer with the intention of using it as leverage for a later raise/promotion at current job.

    3. Anna*

      TootsNYC wasn’t jerking anyone around. The company that she interviewed with contacted HER and there’s no reason why she should have told them no thanks without finding out what they were offering. Then, when it was clear it wasn’t a good fit, she let her boss know what happened and why she decided to stay. It’s the whole two-way street thing. Businesses tell employees all the time why they’re firing them. Why shouldn’t an employee tell them why they’re staying? It looks like everyone was absolutely on the up and up. Telling your boss you’re valuable when you have evidence of the truth of it is not jerking anyone around. It’s only a problem when your boss tells you not to let the door hit you in the ass.

      1. TootsNYC*

        So could the OP go to her boss and say: “After all this time, the other place I’d been interviewing came and offered me a job at $X salary. That’s a huge difference; it’s going to be hard to turn that down. But I like it here; I’m pleased to be working with you. The hours here will be more reasonable and the commute time is better here, but the flextime is the same, but boy that salary increase–it’s 25%.
        “Can you help me find reasons to turn this down?”

        1. TootsNYC*

          Or maybe, “I’m going to turn it down, but can you help me figure out what I can do here to be worthy of a promotion or raise?”

          And also know that the higher salary is out there, and the next time you negotiate, you can ask for more. Or you can ask to be on the other company’s list for the next time they go to fill that position.

          This is not a total loss–there are things you can use this for.

          1. Chriama*

            OP needs to be a known quantity first. She barely has a relationship with her current boss yet, the new job doesn’t really sound like an improvement (more work, longer commute, former employee left suddenly, hiring manager is swamped) in anything except money so it’s not like it’s a once in a lifetime deal, so this just sounds like she took the job in bad faith — especially since they gave her the top of the range that *she* named. Wait until your boss knows rather than hopes that you’re a superstar.

            1. LBK*

              Agreed – the answer to that question in your second week would probably be something along the lines of “finish learning the basic tasks required for the job, then maybe you can start worrying about promotions.” It would really rub me the wrong way as a manager.

        2. Ask a Manager* Post author

          I don’t think it works this early in a new job. As the manager in that scenario, I’d be thinking “Help you find reasons to turn it down? How about the fact that you just committed to this job less than a month ago?” And it would make me think it might be better for her to take the other job.

  23. Brett*

    I think it is important here to evaluate if your current company lowballed you (especially given that you were out of work at the time). By the sounds of it, the second offer simply has longer hours and a heavier workload and that accounts for the difference.
    The problem with being lowballed (if that is what happened), is that it can be indicative of behavior down the road. The company that lowballs the initial offer may lowball or withhold raises, give promotions without pay increases, and other practices that add up over time.

  24. NutellaNutterson*

    The lure of a 25% raise, when you’re juuuust making enough, can seem really incredible. I’ve definitely been there. But an extra 40 minutes of driving (at least), and increasing your work hours by 50 or even 100% – that is literally time you will never get back. If you’re doing what you have to in order to get by, it can be worth it.

    However, it’d be a rare person that wouldn’t burn out, and quickly, with a commute and schedule like that. Once you’re burning out, there’s going to be additional costs. Not just the upfront travel expenses. Not even the increased cost of pre-made food (though that can burn through a raise quickly all on its own). I’m thinking of the big picture, because when you’re exhausted and stressed, your long-term health often suffers. Your personal relationships most definitely do. (And hey! those are related! People, people who need people…)

    Do a little thought experiment: What time did you get home last night? What would have changed if it was 20 minutes later? What time did you leave this morning? What would have to give up to make that happen 20 minutes earlier? Now do the same with the additional TWO hours at the start and end of the day this job is asking from you. With hours like that, there’s never a break. It’ll wear you down.

    1. TootsNYC*

      Then again…I once had a job with killer hours, back when I was single and more of my spending was discretionary. And on the weeks when I worked huge hours, I ended up richer, because I didn’t have time to go to movies, out to dinner w/ friends, run errands.

      1. neverjaunty*

        And you can also end up with no time to pack lunches, do your own housework, grocery shop, cook, and other things that you end up paying others to do when you work long hours.

    2. Original Poster*

      This is true! My personal and family time are important to me, so I’m not so sure Company B would be the right one for me at this time. Sure is tempting though….

  25. Mkb*

    Honestly if you’re happy at your new job, I would just stay there and focus your energy into working hard and moving up quickly. You’d be taking a huge risk by leaving for the higher paying job. In the past year my company has had 2 people leave then come back a few months later because their significantly higher paying new positions were horrible and it wasn’t worth the bump in salary. I would also advise against asking your current company for a raise. I don’t think its appropriate to do so early on in your career there. I totally understand why you would be tempted though, I am sure I would also be in that position. Just keep killing it at work and I’m sure you’ll be making more money in the next year or so. Good luck!

  26. Lionness*

    Look, I’m not going to tell you whether or not to take this other offer. You may be in a position where the additional money is absolutely needed. Only you can judge this. Here’s what I will tell you from the perspective of a person who hires people

    1. You did negotiate. You gave a range and they offered on the high end. If they had offered on the low end, you could have asked for more then but when you give a range and you get the high end, you can’t change the range. That isn’t negotiating. That is bad faith and that is a quick way to have an offer revoked.

    2. Asking for more money now (or even in 6 months) is quite possibly going to be seen as very, very Not Normal. Most people advise waiting a year and making a case for a raise then. Raises are often in the 3-5% range for most industries at this stage.

    3. Working 10-20 more hours a week, plus an additional 5 hours of commute time a week will be difficult. It is taking 27% – 38% out of your free time in exchange for 25% more money. Your time has value. Never forget this. Right now, this other job might be worth it, but just know what you are accepting.

  27. AcademiaNut*

    I don’t think the OP can go to her current employer and use the job offer as leverage for a raise. The new job is offering 25% more money, but are asking for 25% more work along with it, so what the current employer is paying is quite reasonable in comparison. I think that also means the OP shouldn’t feel bad about not having negotiated more money for the current job.

    Personally, I’d be pretty wary about the new job.

    60 hours a week corresponds to 8 am to 6 pm six days a week (or 8 am to 8 pm five days a week). There’s not a whole lot of room for flex time in a schedule like that, unless you’re happy with working the whole weekend, or until midnight, and that’s without an extra hour and a half commute every day. Add in the fact that the person who previously held the job bailed unexpectedly, and that the person you’re assisting is drastically overworked, and that 25% increase might be the lowball.

    For the OP, I think it comes down to deciding whether 25% more pay is worth giving up flex-time, a significant fraction of their non-work waking hours, and a really good work environment, plus the chance to ever work for current company again. If the extra money is worth it, then go for it, but do it knowing what it costs.

    I’m wondering whether it would be possible to negotiate for 25% over what the new employer is currently offering, though, if they’re that desperate to hire someone fast.

  28. Anonymous Educator*

    Some people have alluded to the possibility of a counter-offer (as in “I doubt your current employer would consider a counter-offer at this time”). I’d actually go a step further and say that if I were your current employer and you said “Hey, this other job is offering me 25% more,” I’d consider that a resignation, tell you to take that job, and then call back the other one of our top two candidates for your position. Honestly, after two weeks, I’m sure that person would be thrilled to hear that the position was available.

  29. Interviewer*

    Please, please, please quit characterizing this job’s pay rate as a failure to negotiate, a lesson learned, etc. Understandably, you were a little cautious due to the recent layoff, and likely wanted to secure something quickly. But you had all the information about the role, about the cost of benefits, and the perks of the job. You gave them a range, and they offered you a salary in that range. Hopefully you did your market research to know it was a fair offer. If you did some math during the interview and figured out that you were going to lose money because health insurance was too high, and gave a different range, they should have been open to further discussion. Otherwise, knowing everything you knew about the role and accepting the offer at the high end of your range – there’s no failure to negotiate on your end. That’s a COMPLETELY NORMAL BUSINESS TRANSACTION.

  30. tango*

    Well OP, why not negotiate at the second place? They offered you 25% more than you make now. Why not go back and ask them for 15-20% more? You’re tough out of luck with your current employee in regards to negotiating or asking for a raise before a year is over but maybe if money is that important to you, you can get the second company to give you even more. But do keep in mind, they could suck to work for even if you made 40% more!

    1. NutellaNutterson*

      “they could suck to work for even if you made 40% more!”

      I once negotiated some absurd promotion/salary increase (I forget now, but it was well over 50%). The funny thing is, once my wages were higher, I no longer had “crummy pay” as the scapegoat for why I disliked my job. The working environment was still sucky, and I left within the year.

  31. mehkitty84*

    I am in a similar boat to the OP. I would welcome any advice in my situation. I have been working in my position for 4 months just after i got my masters degree. I noticed recently that the place I interned at has an opening for a more specialized position in my field and it also carries a 30% increase in salary. I have an interview scheduled and would have stayed working with the internship company if they had a position at the time. I don’t want to expect that I do land a job offer (although I do rock lol), but I hate to burn the bridge with my current employer. Ultimately there are pros and cons to everything.

    1. Zillah*

      There are absolutely pros and cons to everything. Ultimately, though, your decision should be about what’s best for you – burning a bridge isn’t trivial, but it’s not the end of the world, either, and an apology helps mediate at least some of the bridge burning.

      Personally, I would apply. A boost in salary, a more specialized position in your field, and an environment you know you like is worth potentially burning a bridge.

  32. Zillah*

    OP, I’ve been following your comments in the thread, and tbh, it seems to me like right now, extra money is more important to you than extra time, and you want to either take this offer or be confident that you’ll be getting a substantial raise in your current position very soon. The latter isn’t likely, so that leaves the former.

    It’s not a choice that I would make or that it seems like more other commenters would make, but that doesn’t matter – it’s about what’s right for you. I may be misreading you, but that’s what it sounds like to me.

  33. autumn*

    25% more raise, yes. But how is the culture? Does the new job have flex time? I was offered a job with a much higher salary, but it was going to be set hours. My current job I can be there any time between 6 and 9 and have to work 8 hours plus a half hour lunch. So I can get there at 6 and leave at 2:30. Or if I oversleep my alarm I am never “late” to work because I never sleep past 7:30 and my work is 15 minutes away. I never have to use my sick time to go to doctor’s appointments and I can go to school events that my daughter participates in without being *that* employee and expecting others to cover for her, not to mention being ale to go to the post office, bank, DMV, etc without taking time off work. An 8:30-5 job, even at that much higher salary, was not worth it.

  34. Omar B*

    I interviewed for a PM position a few weeks back (I didn’t think I had enough experience for it but I did have the skillset). My current salary is $60k w/ 5% annual bonus.. well the new company just made me an offer for $80k but stated thatbecause of my lack of experience, it will be an Associate PM position. Even though it is a lesser title, it is still a 30% increase in salary.

    Do I have any leverage to negotiate with this big of a salary increase? I tried asking for an annual bonus while the HR lady presented the offer over the phone but she seemed to say it was a big increase and this level position doesn’t really have a bonus tied to it. Now that I have the offer in writing, should I still push for a 5% annual bonus?

    Also, the PTO presented to me is 2 weeks vaca with 1 week sick time.. Should I push for another vaca week?

    I just don’t want to appear ungrateful or difficult to work with since they gave me such a good offer..even though they didn’t give me the title I interviewed for!

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