Got a job offer letter!!! A few questions for you "experts" ;) - update 11/2

TheNinja

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Some of you might know I got laid off in late August due to company making changes during COVID. I got severance pay through January. However after months of working hard......I just received an offer letter from a great company and I am BEYOND thrilled to get it!

  1. Counter offers. I got an offer pretty much equal to the pay I was making prior to being laid off. I don't want to miss this opportunity but they also don't have 401k match which is a pretty big deal as my old job had 8% company match. Do I just be happy with what I was offered or try to get more since I'm losing my 401k match?
  2. I have another company who I believe is close to an offer. Should I reach out to them and let them know the situation and see if they offer and play the 2 against each other?
  3. Should I just be thankful for what I've given and jump on it in this covid-19 environment?


EDIT 11/2/20 -
First company is running background check on me (I have a wet reckless conviction). I think 2nd company is going to actually make me an offer tonight or tomorrow morning! I mean that's a good problem to have, to have 2 offers!!! I'm beyond blessed!

Now my only problem is I don't know which 1 to take!
 
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Ultimately you might not be able to get that same match, but definitely ask. And yes I would touch base with company two and let them know the situation and ask if they can put together an offer ASAP.
 
Some of you might know I got laid off in late August due to company making changes during COVID. I got severance pay through January. However after months of working hard......I just received an offer letter from a great company and I am BEYOND thrilled to get it!

  1. Counter offers. I got an offer pretty much equal to the pay I was making prior to being laid off. I don't want to miss this opportunity but they also don't have 401k match which is a pretty big deal as my old job had 8% company match. Do I just be happy with what I was offered or try to get more since I'm losing my 401k match?
  2. I have another company who I believe is close to an offer. Should I reach out to them and let them know the situation and see if they offer and play the 2 against each other?
  3. Should I just be thankful for what I've given and jump on it in this covid-19 environment?

Mention to company #2 you have an offer, no harm in that. Otherwise take the offer, simple as.
 
It kind of depends on how in demand you are, but 2 absolutely yes but only if you really want to work there instead of the place that gave you an offer.

1, yes as long as you are taking the whole compensatin package into consideration. For example, are med/dental, life insurance benifits, vacation, and other soft benifits the same?
 
Leveraging your conditional offer with the second company is a good idea, but dont leverage against the first company untik you have an offer in writing from the second. IE, don't do anything initially that could sour the deal with the first company, because that's your safe spot.
 
It kind of depends on how in demand you are, but 2 absolutely yes but only if you really want to work there instead of the place that gave you an offer.

1, yes as long as you are taking the whole compensatin package into consideration. For example, are med/dental, life insurance benifits, vacation, and other soft benifits the same?

Everything is pretty similar except not as much vacation time b/c I had been at my old place for a long time and will start new at the new place obviously. The 401k matching is the biggest difference financially. so giving up matching 401k for ability to purchase (not given) stock options.

#1 vs #2 is tricky b/c #1 is the better job title and potentially better company. #2 is less commute and less responsibilty and stress.
 
Some of you might know I got laid off in late August due to company making changes during COVID. I got severance pay through January. However after months of working hard......I just received an offer letter from a great company and I am BEYOND thrilled to get it!

  1. Counter offers. I got an offer pretty much equal to the pay I was making prior to being laid off. I don't want to miss this opportunity but they also don't have 401k match which is a pretty big deal as my old job had 8% company match. Do I just be happy with what I was offered or try to get more since I'm losing my 401k match?
  2. I have another company who I believe is close to an offer. Should I reach out to them and let them know the situation and see if they offer and play the 2 against each other?
  3. Should I just be thankful for what I've given and jump on it in this covid-19 environment?

Firstly, well done! I've given my thoughts below, I've changed jobs a bit in the corporate environment and it's a pain getting new employment but well worth it

1. You should definitely bring this up and see what the policy is, and let them know this is what you were getting. But don't make it seem like a dealbreaker if it isn't, just raise it.

FWIW I got my current job three years ago, they'd tried to get me a year earlier but i knocked it back, this time the offer was for 10k less. I told the recruiter this, I said it wasn't a dealbreaker (particularly since I had just been made redundant) but he negotiated on my behalf and I got the original amount. Companies will always try to pay you less if they can.

2. Don't make it look like you're playing them off against each other but definitely let the other company know "Just out of courtesy I'm close to taking another position, so if you're still interested we really need to finalise the situation asap" sort of thing. If they really want you they'll find extra money and offer it.

3. Mate you've got two job offers so you're not going to go jobless for long even if both these fall through. It's way harder to get a pay rise when in a role as opposed to getting more money before you sign on so do what you can!
 
No harm in negotiating.
I disagree.

I've made job offers to people before when I wasn't that impressed, but they just happened to be like 1% better than the other person.

But then they try to negotiate the salary and I feel like, "Motherfucker, you got some balls, I barely wanted you in the first place."
 
I disagree.

I've made job offers to people before when I wasn't that impressed, but they just happened to be like 1% better than the other person.

But then they try to negotiate the salary and I feel like, "Motherfucker, you got some balls, I barely wanted you in the first place."
But if you offer them blowjobs, they’ll agree to your demands.
 
Leveraging your conditional offer with the second company is a good idea, but dont leverage against the first company untik you have an offer in writing from the second. IE, don't do anything initially that could sour the deal with the first company, because that's your safe spot.
This is the correct answer. Take it from someone whose usually on the hiring side of this transaction.

Call the second company and tell them you got an offer and see if they'll do better.

But don't do anything that might turn off the first company. You've been out of work for months. It shows how tough it is out there. Be appreciative of what they offer. Once your foot is in the door you can impress them and get promoted and make more money.
 
This is the correct answer. Take it from someone whose usually on the hiring side of this transaction.

Call the second company and tell them you got an offer and see if they'll do better.

But don't do anything that might turn off the first company. You've been out of work for months. It shows how tough it is out there. Be appreciative of what they offer. Once your foot is in the door you can impress them and get promoted and make more money.

I disagree.

I've made job offers to people before when I wasn't that impressed, but they just happened to be like 1% better than the other person.

But then they try to negotiate the salary and I feel like, "Motherfucker, you got some balls, I barely wanted you in the first place."

That's the thing. I don't want to jeapordize the first company as it's a great job. BUT , isnt it kind of expected to counter offer? Even if I come up with maybe non financial things like more vacation or granted stock options rather than me purchasing them?

The offer isn't even the average for the job title in my area.....but the company is smart and knows the current job market. I don't have a ton of leverage or power at this point and they probably know it.
 
This. The worst they'll do is say no. They aren't going to retract their current offer. If the company is big enough that your offer is coming through HR instead of directly from your future boss, you don't even have to worry about it impacting his opinion of you.

This is kind of my thought. I'll call HR tomorrow (my boss is overseas at work....so probalby won't even be part of it like you said) and I'm sure HR has an idea of what they are willing to go to. I think if I'm straight up front and say I really love the company and the position and don't want to jeopardize anything but I noticed there offer is below the average salary and has no matching 401k and just see if they'll go up.

I don't want to lose this over 10%, but 10% over 5 years for example is a fair amount of omney. Plus bonuses are based off of base salary. My other thought is to try to get in the offere that I get a review at 6 or 12 months with potention 10% raise based on certain outcomes.
 
Some of you might know I got laid off in late August due to company making changes during COVID. I got severance pay through January. However after months of working hard......I just received an offer letter from a great company and I am BEYOND thrilled to get it!

  1. Counter offers. I got an offer pretty much equal to the pay I was making prior to being laid off. I don't want to miss this opportunity but they also don't have 401k match which is a pretty big deal as my old job had 8% company match. Do I just be happy with what I was offered or try to get more since I'm losing my 401k match?
  2. I have another company who I believe is close to an offer. Should I reach out to them and let them know the situation and see if they offer and play the 2 against each other?
  3. Should I just be thankful for what I've given and jump on it in this covid-19 environment?

As far as number one goes you’re not “losing” anything since you were laid off and now have nothing at all.

Just saying.
 
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