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Negotiating salary

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  • Aug 14th, 2021 8:35 pm
Jr. Member
Oct 3, 2012
121 posts
21 upvotes
Scarborough

Negotiating salary

The company i just interviewed for are almost done reference/education. The salary range of the post is $85k to $95k. It is a data analytics job in the healthcare industry. They interviewed four and I was the final candidate they selected. My manager resigned from my current company and went to this company who spoke highly of me to department director and HR there. My current salary is $83k that is because the place I work in don't increase salary of staff and below peers in terms of salary. I know ppl less technical than me got better salary elsewhere. I am extremely technical , plus I have master and over 10 years of Healthcare experience. I request $90k to $95k from phone interview. Is that reasonable? Will HR ask what is my current salary? If yes should I lie and say $87k?
22 replies
Member
Mar 26, 2013
424 posts
63 upvotes
Toronto
State your specific salary preference or else they will give you the lower end of the salary on the range you provided. Dont give a range. I would ask for $95,000.
Last edited by lovetolearn on Aug 10th, 2021 10:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sr. Member
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Nov 15, 2016
543 posts
472 upvotes
I generally don't disagree, but don't ask for $5k above your current salary, that translates to $3k post-tax, maybe slightly less after you subtract benefits. Ask yourself, is a new job worth $2.5k post tax?

What type of data analytics are you doing? Business intelligence? (using Python, SQL, Tableau / other tools?) or more so a general data analytics (excel / tableau?, building end user reporting?). Depending on what your skills are and the type of role, data analytic positions with someone with a solid 10yoe can go from $100-130k. Understand what your market value is to the company and don't undersell yourself.

If your data analytics role falls into Business intelligence, you can ask for quite a bit more, here's a Robert Half Tech Salary breakdown for Canada (these are rough numbers):
https://www.docdroid.net/UG2g4xZ/2021-s ... df#page=30

Another good site for negotiating salaries:
https://www.kalzumeus.com/2012/01/23/sa ... gotiation/
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Dec 3, 2009
6029 posts
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Toronto
Toad99 wrote: I generally don't disagree, but don't ask for $5k above your current salary, that translates to $3k post-tax, maybe slightly less after you subtract benefits. Ask yourself, is a new job worth $2.5k post tax?
This. This whole "worry" over a few K seems kinda petty in the grand scheme of things. If you're looking for more salary because you feel "stagnant" then the maximum seems worth a new job.

The OP isn't really clear if they're just trying to leave a dumpster fire. Only he hasn't gotten a raise and the previous manager is now gone which hints there might be issues there.
Remember to be an RFD-er and NOT a degenerate.
Jr. Member
Oct 3, 2012
121 posts
21 upvotes
Scarborough
Well leaving yes dumpster fire. I already role of three different positions in bigger organizations. I work in public sector BTW. After manager quit they posted supervisor which I applied and interviewed. They hired external because that person has management experience I don't. They like my idea during interview that staff needs to be more technical so I am tasked to update staff tech skills along help new supervisor navigate. My other coworker just handed in her resignation Friday. Now just me and mat leave temp on team along with supervisor. So no other positions to move to other than supervisor which I will never get. New job allows me to connect with 141 hospitals in Ontario. I am the front end person so work with CFo, manager or director of hospitals to design new analytical tool. I will train them how to use the new product. I need Tableau and SQL. There are BI staff who does major work of building the tool. This job is something new for me so I gain new experience and network. I am a female BTW. Not sure if we move to python future but i am learning it. The person who held this post was program lead and making $105k. His role split between front end and back end. I am going for the front end.
Last edited by redfox2 on Aug 10th, 2021 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Deal Addict
Jul 16, 2019
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redfox2 wrote: Well leaving yes dumpster fire. I already role of three different positions in bigger organizations. I work in public sector BTW. After manager quit they posted supervisor which I applied and interviewed. They hired external because that person has management experience I don't. They like my idea during interview that staff needs to be more technical so I am tasked to update staff tech skills along help new supervisor navigate. My other coworker just handed in her resignation Friday. Now just me and mat leave temp on team along with supervisor. So no other positions to move to other than supervisor which I will never get. New job allows me to connect with 141 hospitals in Ontario. I am the front end person so work with CFo, manager or director of hospitals to design new analytical tool. I will train them how to use the new product. I need Tableau and SQL. There are BI staff who does major work of building the tool. This job is something new for me so I gain new experience and network.
So then ask for $95K because you are worth it.
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Jul 22, 2006
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Jon Lai wrote: Too late now but I would never leave for less than 15% pay bump for a lateral move, or 25%+ for a diagonal move.
Same
Jr. Member
Oct 3, 2012
121 posts
21 upvotes
Scarborough
Got offer letter so it is $90k I guess too late to negotiate. I get 3 weeks vacation though.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 13, 2009
5244 posts
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redfox2 wrote: Got offer letter so it is $90k I guess too late to negotiate. I get 3 weeks vacation though.
You said you requested $90-95k in your first post, guess what HR will give you? $90k.

There was your negotiation. If you didn't take the $90k, HR will ask you "why not, you told us you were looking for $90-95K therefore we gave you exactly what you were looking for, in the range".

Don't fret, new opportunity new place, new possibilities. You choose a job in a place where you feel you can be valued and be successful, not having your skills squandered and stagnant.
Deal Fanatic
Oct 3, 2018
6416 posts
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GTA
redfox2 wrote: Got offer letter so it is $90k I guess too late to negotiate. I get 3 weeks vacation though.
Never too late! You said, "The salary range of the post is $85k to $95k."

You thought about it further ... and given your experience and being the best candidate for the role, you feel $95k is fair.

If you're going to accept the job and thinking about this $5k you left on the table, either negotiate the additional $5k now or a salary review with the potential increase after 3 or 6 months.

And/or negotiate 4 weeks vacation!
Sr. Member
Jul 15, 2003
910 posts
554 upvotes
GTA, Ontario
redfox2 wrote: Got offer letter so it is $90k I guess too late to negotiate. I get 3 weeks vacation though.
Congratulations!

As mentioned, you can always ask for more. I feel that the worst case scenario is that they will say no, but you will still have the same offer ($90K + 3 wks vacation). You just need to explain why you deserve more.

Middle of the band doesn't seem too bad. And if it is a workplace with bands and steps, you'll make it to the top in no time.
Jr. Member
Oct 3, 2012
121 posts
21 upvotes
Scarborough
I saw the sunshine list. My post is consultant and it is small organization. The HR is consultant she is making $100k probably because she is manager of HR there. I noticed consultant from there on sunshine list. The thing is I am planning to get pregnant so I will be on mat leave next year if successful.

Quick question should I ask my current job to payout vacation or take four weeks vacation? I don't start new job till mid September. But I need end of this month off for personal reasons. However I have over one month of vacation left at current company. For sure I need two weeks for actual vacation before start new job but there is 2 weeks left still. The place I am going is less stressful than being in hospital cause hospital sort of reports to it. Current place takes 10 steps to go to max from min and max is $89k. Plus no guarantee 1% inflation. Plus I am doing outside my job description. Pretty much need three job descriptions to describe my role.
Deal Guru
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Jul 12, 2003
12400 posts
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Toronto
redfox2 wrote: Got offer letter so it is $90k I guess too late to negotiate. I get 3 weeks vacation though.
Not too bad, take the job and congrats on the new job.
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Sr. Member
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Nov 15, 2016
543 posts
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mzmoney wrote: Never too late! You said, "The salary range of the post is $85k to $95k."

You thought about it further ... and given your experience and being the best candidate for the role, you feel $95k is fair.

If you're going to accept the job and thinking about this $5k you left on the table, either negotiate the additional $5k now or a salary review with the potential increase after 3 or 6 months.

And/or negotiate 4 weeks vacation!
THIS. Do not leave money on the table! Regardless of the fact you gave a number in your phone interview, Circumstances change all the time!

"Thank you for the offer, however, after going through the process and learning more about the role, team and responsibilities, I'd gladly sign today for $X. I bring over a wealth of experience such as A, B C"

The offer time is where you setup yourself for compounding returns, your base salary now will affect your bonus and any job going forward, it's leverage for future roles. However, if you're comfortable and do not want to negotiate, that's fine too
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Oct 27, 2004
1352 posts
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Lots of great advice here.

One tip I will throw out for anyone just starting the process, is never throw out the first number. Once a number is stated, that becomes the baseline. Every organization, for every job, will go into it with a pay range (if they don't, you don't want to work there because they're idiots). Using OP's example, they're hiring for a data analyst between $85-95K. That right off the bat suggests to me they're expecting to pay $90K, hoping to get away with $85K, but could live with $95K. I would also suggest they could be pushed to $99K for a candidate they really liked, but won't go over the magic six-figure barrier.

When I am interviewing for a job and I'm asked "what is your preferred salary?" my answer is always "I would imagine you have a range you're looking to pay for this job. What is that range? I expect we're in the same ballpark..." 9 times out of 10 they'll share a range, and then they've established the baseline starting point. There's always that 1 recruiter who thinks they're so smart and won't share their range with you, insisting you tell them what you're looking for. There are a million ways to evade that; "I'm sure you can respect my current employer's confidentiality requirements that I not share my current salary" or "what I've made in the past isn't really relevant here, because the role is different" or whatever.

Also, never accept the first offer letter straight away. Always go back with an additional ask, whether it be more money, additional PTO, better benefits, etc. Worst case, you're stuck with the offer letter. Best case, you get a few more dollars in your jeans or an extra week vacation.
Deal Addict
Mar 16, 2007
1071 posts
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GTA
redfox2 wrote: Got offer letter so it is $90k I guess too late to negotiate. I get 3 weeks vacation though.
is it still too late to ask for more vacation? with 10 years of experience and the salary, 4 weeks is very reasonable, unless they told you 3 weeks before and you agreed on it.
Deal Addict
Oct 24, 2010
2985 posts
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Ottawa
redfox2 wrote: Got offer letter so it is $90k I guess too late to negotiate. I get 3 weeks vacation though.
With a Masters and 10 years of experience, I'd hope you'd be receiving at least 3 weeks. 4 weeks wouldn't be unreasonable to expect.
Jr. Member
Oct 3, 2012
121 posts
21 upvotes
Scarborough
So ended up with same offer after something about inequity review. They say performance review is up to 6.5 percent so equals to the max and slightly more after one year if get full 6.5 percent. It is still better than current job no salary increase except managers orabove get increased twice. I didn't ask for more vacation cause I don't go on vacation lol. Like I said I might go mat leave next year so don't want to ask so much then 6 months later drop the ball.
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May 30, 2005
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redfox2 wrote: So ended up with same offer after something about inequity review. They say performance review is up to 6.5 percent so equals to the max and slightly more after one year if get full 6.5 percent. It is still better than current job no salary increase except managers orabove get increased twice. I didn't ask for more vacation cause I don't go on vacation lol. Like I said I might go mat leave next year so don't want to ask so much then 6 months later drop the ball.
It gets paid out..
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