Got an offer, but struggling with it

**vwdan** · 15 November 2014, 10:20

While its a substantial salary, it sounds like they're going to use and abuse you for it. I certainly couldn't be treated like that for long.

**PurpleGorilla** · 15 November 2014, 12:58

Sounds like a load of tulip to me.

Unpaid overtime I can understand; loads of companies expect employees 'above a certain grade' to make the ultimate sacrifice and give up control of your 'free' time. This is particularly challenging when your boss is a workaholic psycho.

But no 'executive perks'. Come on! Clearly must be a US company. They know how to tulip on their staff.

Say no!

**BlasterBates** · 15 November 2014, 13:05

When you're on 94K you're not being abused, i.e. you're being adequately remunerated.

You always need to compare offers. I don't see many jobs which offer 94 K plus bonus other than in a London Hedge fund where you would be working 7 days a week.

If you want more time off you have to earn less. For 60-70K you should get an easy life.

In the end the effective rates are probably the same when you look at the hours you're doing.

**rocktronAMP** · 15 November 2014, 14:32

Originally posted by Spoiler View Post

I've received a decent permie offer - £93K, but I'm struggling a little to come to terms with the "terms", which are effectively none !

No private healthcare

No car allowance OR mileage (and travel is involved)
And a big one for me:No overtime paid (and there will be a regular amount of overtime involved)
They will reimburse me for other expenses (trains/flights/hotels) "from time to time" which is nice !

Oh, and 28 days holiday, but this is inclusive of public holidays (so 20 days then).
Last had a permie role 2.5 years ago, which was a lower basic (think £84K), but I got paid for overtime/mileage, etc which took it to a similar level to this one.

My last contract role paid out £485 pd.

This one looks like a stinker. How is your health? Is it in tip top condition?

I went to interview for a permanent job at a London technical consultancy the other day. . The salary was between £65-80K. They offered generous benefits: 4% of salary to pension ( matching 5% contribution from the company), life insurance, critical illness cover and health insurance. They also had performance related pay (individual and company). They had 25 days of holiday, excluding the UK public holidays and an employee training budget of £2K.

The benefits for your target company also look extremely suspect, because they mentioned 28 days holiday and, cheekily, include the public holidays.

I think you have to decide on the value stream of a permanent job that would you exchange a contract for. If you are against overtime then tell them to stick it.

PS: I was not successful, because the company claimed that only took on 10% of its interview candidates. I spent over 3 hours on a face-to-face on the day and a technical test added into to boot. That is a hell of statistic for the interviewers, 30 hours dedicated time. It sounded like a sorry excuse to me. Anyway, thinking back on this experience, I think it was a clear miss, I am glad I will not ever experience their culture. It lacks diversity of certain strengths, if everyone that they recruit into it is a top performer from their perspective.

**jmo21** · 15 November 2014, 15:10

Originally posted by rocktronAMP View Post

The benefits for your target company also look extremely suspect, because they mentioned 28 days holiday and, cheekily, include the public holidays.

Is this not quite common and you can take the public hols whenever?

**Spoiler** · 15 November 2014, 15:28

Originally posted by PurpleGorilla View Post

But no 'executive perks'. Come on! Clearly must be a US company. They know how to tulip on their staff.

**Spoiler** · 15 November 2014, 15:34

The thing I'm struggling to accept is the no bonus/overtime thing. With this offer, I know the maximum (and minimum!) I can make in the year.

I'm used to, and believe I would rather, have a lower basic, with the option of overtime and a bonus. There's no hard limit, and if I work more, I'll get rewarded for it.

**northernladuk** · 15 November 2014, 15:58

So it's just the same as a 70k job with benefits.

I remember at CSC decades ago we brough flex benefits in. You got a figure which was grossed up with no benefits and you had to buy your benefits back, pensions, holidays over 20 days, yadda yadda. Everyone was all smiles when their 40k salaries went up to 50k but were then outraged they had to spend 10k on holidays and pensions to bring them back to the benefits they had before.

******* morons.

You are focusing too much on the top rate. Factor it all in and then make a decision. It's like my example above. 70-80k with benefits, 92k without. There is your choice. Very simple.

At that level I would forget the overtime. As someone said you are expected to put the hours in. I am sure when it gets stupid they will offer it. I had the same last permie gig but working weekends overtime was paid. It's an exception not the norm. Never been on bonus really so can't comment on that.

**BlasterBates** · 15 November 2014, 17:27

The 93K is actually worth more than the 70K because it's a guaranteed salary, benefits such as bonuses are usually not guaranteed.

Also no one can force you to do overtime so you get the 93K even if you do no overtime, i.e. if you p*ss around and just do enough to keep your job you still get 93 K.

Just a hard nosed approach, I always value a basic salary much more than benefits, as it is cash in hand. Bonuses often are "booked" mentally and it can a be a bit of a shock when you get bugger all.

In the end the decision is probably whether you want to work long hours with lots of travelling and earn 93K or do less hours and earn 70K. Negotiating won't change the job, if it's one of the companies where everyone works long hours that's how it is.

Got an offer, but struggling with it