Advice on Negotiating with Current Job Using a Competing Offer

[btags]

So I finished school last last year and have been with my current company since the beginning of 2021. Towards the middle of this year, a lot of people left my team, so much so that I am now the second most senior employee on the team. A lot of these people left due to the disorganization at the company, but since this change I have been promoted to a team lead position (with about a 10% pay bump) and myself and my boss have made a lot of changes to our processes to make everything a lot more streamlined.

Before we implemented these changes, I did start searching for other jobs, and as a result of that process have gotten an offer from another company in the area that would give me about a 10% increase in pay. That said, glassdoor reviews for the company are really bad, and I confirmed most of the negative reports when I interviewed in person (stuff like the ceo making failing rounds early in the morning and late at night to see who is "putting in extra effort").

So at this point, I think I want to stay with my current job because they are much more flexible, there is less of a commute, and I feel like overall the culture is better, but I don't want to let this offer from the other company be completely useless. So with that said, how should I go about using this offer to negotiate a pay increase with my current employer? I know I shouldn't give a shit about my company in the sense that they probably wouldn't show loyalty to me if it really came to it, but I am also not very good at pushing for this kind of stuff as I am generally not a very assertive person.

 

[cursed knowledge]

10% increase sounds like not that much if you're young tbh i wouldn't mention it if your boss isn't usually cool

 

[Hollywood Duo]

What's your base pay now? 10% of a low salary isn't worth the hassle.

 

[CloseTalker]

Eh, if you're truly happy at your current place and not actually willing for the bluff to be called, I'd just leave it. I wouldn't underestimate your current employer's ability to say "if you want to leave, go for it". Negotiating like this is only a good idea if you're actually willing to leave.

When it's time to negotiate (meaning when you've been there longer than 8 months lol), use your work ethic and what you bring to the company as your collateral, not a threat to leave. Even if your employer budges, their attitude towards you will likely shift because they assume you always have one foot out the door

 

[whatsinaname]

You've been at this company 8 months and have a promotion and 10% pay bump. It is your first job.

Wait for you annual review. Make a list of all the improvements you made and ask for a pay rise.

If it doesn't get you what you want, get a new job in 2022.

Negotiation with your existing company using another job offer is never the best idea. Especially if you are in the first 8 months of your first job and you don't like the other job.

 

[Dennis8K]

10% is rookie percentages. Not going to make a big difference.

 

[platocplx]

If you know there isn't a possibility of leaving you could technically screw yourself over.
10% is peanuts of an increase. And way better to ask for a raise when you have your review detailing all the work you've been doing. Or better yet ask for a salary review. Without mentioning the offer.
But also since you haven't been in the job for long just wait until your yearly review and ask for a raise them based on your performance for the past year instead of kind of dangling a 10% raise because basically you play with me screwing yourself over from a better raise later on after your review

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

10% really isn't enough to negotiate with, unfortunately. Like, most any job people take offers some level of pay increase unless they really want out of their current spot - in which case more money doesn't fix the problem.

also, you've been there last than a year and they've clearly gotten by with bunches of other people leaving.


my advice? Enjoy the bump you just got. Get more experience. And revisit this idea in another 9-12 months when you're THE most senior person, can back it up with experience, and can negotiate for 30+% more.

 

[Xyer]

I've been in the same job for 2 and a half years with zero pay raises. Lol....

 

[SixPointEight]

Your boss is going to presume you've got a foot out the door anyway even if you negotiate and end up staying. Not worth the hassle.

 

[Megapighead]

Personally I wouldn't consider leaving for anything less than a 20% bump. Be careful if you try to use your new offer to negotiate; typically that trick only works once with a company. May not be worth to blow your chance negotiating a < 20% raise.

 

[julia crawford]

(stuff like the ceo making failing rounds early in the morning and late at night to see who is "putting in extra effort").

Click to shrink...

No amount of salary bump is worth this kind of bs to be honest. Especially if you're a junior and are most at risk of being affected for not complying.

 

[Mrflood]

As someone who manages a team, I have been here a few times.

1) Be sure you're ready to leave if they don't counter.

2) I always appreciated it when someone on my team approached it like this "Hey Boss, I wanted to let you know that I have received an offer from another company with higher pay. I haven't said yes, as I enjoy what I do here and if possible would like to make it work here. Anything the company with my salary to help me stay? I let them know I would have an answer on X-Date"

You have now shifted the responsibility to your current employer, expressed that pay was the main issue, and are giving them time to try to match/beat the offer. (So many times people come after they already accepted the new job and it makes it way harder).

If you have a manager worth their salt, and actually wants you on the team. You will have the new offer matched/beat within 48 hours.

 

[Deleted member 19533]

The new opportunity sounds terrible, so in reality you don't have a bargaining chip here cause you wouldn't want to actually go there. You haven't been there that long and 10% raise so far is actually really good in less than a year. Average annual raises are like 3%. You'll get another raise at your one year. Talk yourself up then as another poster said.

 

[BassForever]

You should almost never take a counter offer, if you started applying for a new job you had a good reason, follow through.

 

[JDSN]

Not worth it.

 

[btags]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I sort of just wanted to leave everything as is, but wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything stupid by doing so. To be honest I kind of feel relieved that most people have suggested not trying to negotiate anything as I didn't feel like I would have the drive to do that at the moment.

Given that I really don't think I want the other job I will likely just decline the offer and leave it at that.

Thanks again for the advice, I really appreciate it.

 

[The Albatross]

I wouldn't hard negotiate unless you have an offer in hand and you're willing to leave. Short of negotiating, it's worth mentioning to your manager/boss how salaries have gone up for your position and whether that's something you could talk about at your annual review this year, or maybe at a mid-year review ask what you have to do to get to that next level salary wise.

 

[btags]

No amount of salary bump is worth this kind of bs to be honest. Especially if you're a junior and are most at risk of being affected for not complying.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I saw that in glassdoor reviews and thought there was no way it was true. It came up unprompted in one of my interviews and was a big red flag to me.

 

[Dodongo]

Sounds like your current job is fine, and they just gave you a raise. You haven't been there very long yet.

It's probably not worth screwing that up by trying to use the other offer as leverage. Most likely they won't appreciate it, and management will remember your stunt.

 

[Red]

If you don't want to leave, don't do this. If you'd actually take the other offer it's absolutely something you should discuss with your current management. But since you sound unwilling to switch you'd be working on false pretenses, which gives you no ground to stand on. Not just morally but in a real way—if your current employer denies your request for a pay raise, what are you going to do? Take a job you hate? Or stay at your current place, with them now knowing not to take you seriously?

 

[GameAddict411]

I wouldn't do it. Negotiating salaries is always interpreted as you are looking to leave the company. The company would start looking for replacement for you I guarantee it. Especially since it's only 10% bump. If it was 25%-50% maybe I will bring it up. Also leaving if they said no is not likely since you said yourself the other company sucks.

 

[btags]

Mods can lock this thread if they want. I think I have enough advice already.